ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: At a time when the mainstream opposition parties are preparing for agitation against the government, the breakaway faction of the PML-Q came up with plans for good governance.

Seen as the manifesto of the party, Pakistan Muslim League (likeminded) Wednesday launched a book titled Road Map to Pakistan's Recovery that had been a result of combined efforts of all party members.

The book was however, presented by the party's secretary-general, Humayun Akhtar Khan. It pointed out 25 areas to be tackled for steering the country out of what they termed as management crisis faced by the country. These areas included security, justice, education, health, youth, labour, minorities, media, terrorism, economy, energy, water, foreign policy, constitutional reforms and good governance among others.

It suggested that the duration of assembly's tenure be reduced to increase the frequency of change in governance. It said that the safety of judges at lower courts needed to be ensured by the government for providing speedy justice to the masses. The book also supported creation of additional provinces and constitutional reforms to simplify the process of creating new provinces.

“However, we do not support creation of new province on the basis of ethnic or linguistic lines,” Humayun Akhtar Khan said, adding that the party supported the movements for restoration of Bahawalpur province and creation of Seraiki and Hazara provinces. Talking to Dawn on the occasion he said that issues of Hazara and Seraiki provinces were neither ethnic nor linguistic as people of all communities and casts lived in these areas.

It was proposed that all senior bureaucratic appointments should follow the same procedure as those of Judges, Chief Election Commissioner and Chairman NAB. Civil service reforms had been promised in the book-cum-manifesto. The book also suggested that all land records in Pakistan were to be computerized as it would reduce land-related scams, crimes and tax thefts by nearly fifty percent.

Speaking on the occasion, President of the likeminded faction of PML, Senator Salim Saif Ullah said that the masses were being deprived of democratic rights as the incumbent government was not holding local government elections. “Lack of local representatives has aggravated suffering of flood victims in Sindh,” he said and quoted his own example that there were two MNAs and five MPAs in his area where there used to be 600 local government councilors who used to be a direct link between government machinery and the masses.

He also said that the book was being seen as the party's manifesto, which had been released ahead of elections so that the masses and the party workers could be made aware of its policies and vision. “There is need for mending the affairs within political parties as most of the parties are undemocratic internally and are becoming dynasties,” Senator Saif Ullah said.

Pakistan Muslim League noted in its book that terrorism had reached a point where it posed a direct, long term, existential threat to Pakistan. They proposed in the book that causes of extremism in society should be addressed as stability in the region was imperative for security and economic growth of the country. With respect to Afghanistan they were of the view that Afghan people must make their decisions themselves without any external pressure. The book said that IMF should not be relied upon. Macro-economic stability could be achieved from within, while a number of proposals had been made in education and health sectors.

Employment to one member of each family, in both rural as well as urban areas, had been guaranteed. Women rights and emancipation for them had been vowed to be ensured and an end to unjust practices like Wanni , Swara , Karokari , honour killing, domestic violence and sexual harassment had also been assured. The party had proposed security of minority's life and property and freedom for media.

After the 18th amendment and the NFC awards, it was proposed that provinces followed prudent policies with respect to expense control and revenue generation. Steps had been proposed to enhance acreage and yield in the agriculture sector. The book promised that limit of agricultural credit would be enhanced and a crop insurance scheme would also be introduced to safeguard the farmers. Small farmers would also be supported. The book's greatest promise was that the party would give all state land in the rural areas to the landless farmers.