KARACHI, Sept 26: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement unfolded on Thursday its election manifesto which calls for a new constitution and provincial autonomy according to the 1940 Lahore Resolution.

The elections 2002 manifesto, titled “Moving Pakistan forward” was presented by deputy convener Aftab Shaikh, who was flanked by other deputy conveners Nasreen Jaleel, Shoaib Bokhari, and Dr Farooq Sattar at a news conference.

In the preamble, the MQM says it is a peace-loving political party and opposes terrorism.

The MQM wants an independent and non-aligned foreign policy and wishes to promote close and friendly relations with all the countries. It believes that all disputes should be settled through negotiations.

It wants to strengthen the defence of the country. Such policies, it stresses, should be formulated as can enable people from every region of the country to be recruited into the armed forces.

The MQM claims that all the past constitutions, including the 1973 constitution, have failed to provide the fundamental rights, security, democracy, freedom, social justice and equality to the people of Pakistan.

The main reason for this was the non-inclusion of the true spirit of the Resolution of 1940 which was the basis of the Pakistan Movement.

The civil and military autocrats have made so many amendments to the constitution of 1973 that it has lost its original form, spirit and utility.

Keeping in view the failure of the constitution of 1973, the MQM proposes the formulation of a new constitution by an assembly with equal representation from all the constituent units.

The proposed constitution should not only envisage the reincarnation of the spirit of the Resolution of 1940 but should also be in conformity with the genius and aspiration of the people, it claims.

The new constitution should have all the salient features of a true federation — supremacy of parliament, autonomy of the provinces, the federation having only three subjects, ie, defence, foreign affairs and currency, a bicameral legislature with meaningful powers to both houses, joint electorate, independence of judiciary, free press, gender equality, equality of all citizens before law and equal representation of all the constituent units in all federal services.

The MQM will not defend those arbitrary laws that were designed by any regime to discriminate against a person or community for his/her or their personal faith, belief or creed.

It has come to the conclusion that provincial autonomy and decentralization are sine qua non for the internal stability of Pakistan. The MQM therefore stands committed to striving for complete economic, financial, administrative and political autonomy for the provinces.

It stands for: a) Make Senate an effective body for the protection of the constituent units’ rights; b) The provinces shall have full autonomy in accordance with the Resolution of 1940; c) No taxes or fees will be raised by the Federation on its own behalf; d) Funds needed by the Federation for defence, foreign affairs and currency will be paid by the provinces on the basis of their population; e) The amount of Zakat will be distributed in the same district from where it is collected.

It also stands for bringing all the federally-administered areas as regular districts within the jurisdiction of the respective provinces, except the federal capital, and strengthening of local bodies institutions.

It also stands for bringing all the cantonment areas within the political ambit of the local/district/city government.

It maintains that governor should remain in office on the pleasure of provincial assembly.

The MQM believes that fair and impartial elections alone are not sufficient for a parliamentary democratic order. Full and complete power needs to be transferred to the elected representatives immediately after the election results are announced. Some convention (on rotation basis) will be established to have the posts of President, Prime Minister, NA Speaker and Senate Chairman filled, keeping in view adequate provincial representation.

Structural changes needed to control budget deficits, optimize the tax base and reduce public debts will be effected.

It is of the view tat the first input to growth is thus human resource. It proposes to allocate 5% of GNP annually for education, make education compulsory up to 10th Class and impart free education up to the primary level, subsidize girls’ education in rural areas, bring 100% literacy rate in urban areas, 75% male and 50% female in rural areas within five years and cent per cent literacy within 10 years.

It propose to allocate 4% of GNP annually for the health sector and introduction of a comprehensive social security system.

It is proposed to abolish all such laws that cause injustice to women. It proposes to provide more opportunities to women to join the teaching profession. More training schools for female nurses, midwives and lady health visitors have got to be opened. Population Welfare Centres need to have at least 75% female staff.

It has proposed new paradigms of economic growth. It has proposed that local and provincial planning boards should be established and the perspective and or National Plan, whether five-year or rolling, to be formulated on the recommendations of these boards.

While emphasizing the need to maintain free economy, it maintains that downsizing or rightsizing will be resorted to in phases in such a way that the displaced are absorbed by the new/expanded projects under the new economic policy. It is also correlated with our social security system proposed.

It has also resolved to accelerate the development of Port Qasim, Gawadar and Keti Bunder ports through the private sector, but ownership of the land shall remain vested in government. It maintains that Water Distribution Accord(s) shall not be tampered with, except with the unanimous consent of the provinces. No new irrigation projects that adversely affect the growers of lower riparian areas, including Kalabagh dam, Thar Flood Water Canal Project/ Greater Thal Canal Project, be undertaken without the approval of all the provincial assemblies and by the Council of Common Interest.

Wapda’s power distribution system will be provincialized immediately till it is privatized. The manifesto also outlines various matters connected with the rural population also.

It stands for abolishing the government cooperative department and instead encourage cooperative farming (including cattle and poultry), credit and marketing through private cooperatives.

Solid waste management schemes to be launched in metropolitan cities to begin with.

It is committed to implementing the Karachi Mass Transit Project besides providing road network in rural areas, launching the Northern Bypass Project, Karachi, tone up traffic management in urban areas and encourage private enterprise in the road transport sector.

In the context of providing security to the people from terrorism, sectarian killings, etc, the party proposes that, according to the principle of autonomy, maintenance of law and order shall be the exclusive responsibility of the provincial governments. There shall be no federal interference in any form.

All forces - federal and quasi-federal - for maintenance of law and order shall work under home minister (treasury bench) through a board comprising a member of provincial assembly (from the opposition), home secretary and chief of the provincial police, also duly shared and supported by the local government. The principle of chain of command has got to be re-established.

It is of the view that police have utterly failed to provide protection to the common man and is viewed as perpetrator of crime and lawlessness. So all the police and administration have to be local having domicile of the province where they serve. It also proposes various restructuring of the police administration system and dispensation of justice.

It has devoted considerable space to the need for abolishing feudalism which is identified with social injustices, honour killing, gang rape, etc.