MQM MANIFESTO 2008

MQM believes in Realism and Practicalism as enunciated by Mr. Altaf Hussain, the founding leader of the party. MQM is against all types of terrorism, religious extremism and struggling for religious harmony.

The cherished goals of MQM are eradication of political authoritarianism, abolition of feudal system, promotion of cultural pluralism, devolution of power to the grass root level and to achieve maximum provincial autonomy. MQM believes in induction of the common man in the power structure to provide maximum opportunity to economically and socially deprived people-“empowerment for all” for a better and safer life for today and tomorrow.

MQM hopes that the people of Pakistan will support the MQM to achieve these cherished goals.

1- PROVINCIAL AUTONOMY:

Provincial autonomy is sine qua non for a federation. The founding fathers during their struggle for independence all along advocated autonomy to the constituent units. The Lahore resolution of 1940 also advocated autonomy for the constituent units. Unfortunately, the promises of the founding fathers and aspirations of the people of Pakistan were never respected which led to the dismemberment of the country in 1971.

At present, this unresolved issue of Provincial autonomy is the biggest cause of disharmony and distrust between the federating units of Pakistan. MQM wants a national dialogue and consensus among the federating units to settle this contentious issue in a way that fulfil the aspirations of the people of Pakistan specially the people of smaller provinces.

MQM stands committed to plead, advocate and espouse the cause of provincial autonomy through such constitutional measures whereby:

• The federation should retain the subjects of Defence, Foreign affairs and currency and all other subjects should fall in the domain of the federating units.
• The creation of an Inter Provincial Council for promoting harmony between federation and the provinces and amongst provinces.

2- EDUCATION:

Education enriches lives and is an economic necessity for any developing country. We need to modernise our education system and spread education through out the country on war footings by taking following steps:

3- HEALTH:

“Health for all” remains a slogan that needs to be reduced into projects and programs by following measures:

• Public Expenditure on health would be increased from 0.6 % to 4% of GDP during next five years.
• Hospitals would be established in every district and health care centres in every village of the country.
• Adequate staff, equipments and medicines would be provided to primary and secondary health centres through out the country.
• Institutions for training nurses, lady health-visitors, mid-wives and other Para-medical staff in every district would be established.
• A Liver Institute, Trauma Centre and Telemedicine service would be setup in every District.
• Emergency Funds would be reserved for unforeseen circumstances such as Flu (influenza) or Virus outbreaks.
• 2400 non-functional Basic Health Units, Rural Health Centres and Mother and Child care centres would be functionalized.
• The Government would negotiate with multi-nationals to bring down the medicine prices.
• Import Tax on medicines would be abolished and there would be no Custom Duties for medical equipments.
• Mother and Child-Care Centres with breast screening facility would be setup in each district.
• Purchase and sale of organs for transplantation would be stopped and substituted by establishing Cadaver Banks.
• Health Insurance Schemes would be introduce by the Government for all citizens giving priority to senior citizens.
• Accreditation and Regulation of commercial health facilities would be regulated by the province.

4- AGRARIAN REFORMS:

Agriculture is the single largest sector and dominating driving force for growth. Following measures would be taken to improve the agriculture sector:

• Abolishment of prevailing feudal system from the country.
• Effective land reforms by fixing a reasonable ceiling.
• Increase share of cultivators (Harris / Muzareh) from 50 % to 60 %.
• District level micro finance credit on Grameen Bank patron; Tractor and small agriculture machinery on subsidised prices; Cooperative farming and more importance would be attached to direct marketing to eliminate the role of middle-men.
• Allocation of State land to landless cultivators followed by the cooperative farming, cooperative marketing and easy credit for the inputs.
• Revision of agriculture tenancy laws to stop ejection of tenants at will.
• Peasants (Harris/Muzarehs) would be declared as labour and legislation on the patron of Labour Laws would be legislated for them.
• Promotion and incentives for agro-based industries in rural areas.
• Greater incentives to land holders for live stock breeding and farming.
• Intensive development of inland and marine fisheries at a controlled pace.
• Lining of water channels and remodelling of the system. Innovative devices to conserve irrigation water.
• New Dams in the country with the consensus of all federating units.
• Computerization of land revenue record.
• Protection and promotion of forestry.

5- POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT:

Nearly a third of our population lives below poverty line i.e. they earn less than hundred Rupees a day. One of the main causes of poverty and chronic poverty is the non development of human resource. In rural areas it is the slow growth of agriculture caused by poor / inadequate delivery of input, whereas in urban areas, it is the wage discrepancies between the slow growing formal sectors, verses the relatively fast growing informal sectors. Poverty can not be alleviated by a magic wand but needs a multi pronged strategy. Some of the measures needed are:

• A comprehensive policy outlining specific aims to curb poverty. But what is needed is more even playing fields for educational attainment, health status and employment opportunities. Similarly, chronic poverty needs to be mapped for its alleviation. The Government should focus more on the distribution of assets, economic opportunities and political voice rather than directly on inequality of incomes.
• The gap between wage rise and inflation must be narrowed. In particular, public sector wage rises must be directly proportional to inflation.
• Control of food inflation by stabilizing and / or subsidising the prices of Wheat, Rice, Sugar and Oil.
• Greater public investment in agriculture including agro-industry, agribusiness and live stock-greater incentives for cooperative farming and cooperative marketing in rural areas and housing and construction in urban areas.
• The burden of the taxes would be minimised on low income and poor people specially the taxes on utility bills would be decreased for these people.
• Social Security Schemes would be introduced and enforced to cover all adult population.
• Encouragement of industrialisation, promotion of Cottage industries, establishment of vocational institutions and incentives for agro-based industries in rural areas to control unemployment.
• The national plan of action for “Education for All”, that includes universal primary education, increase in adult literacy rate, provision of quality teachers training institutes and participation by the community, is proposed to be implemented in letter and spirit.
• More incentives would be provided for labour intensive industries.
• Other State interventions, i.e. distribution of land to landless Haris/Muzarehs, improved system of Zakat and social insurance

besides indigenous philanthropy will go a long way to achieve the desired results.

6- URBAN DEVELOPMENT:

Pakistan is considered as one of the most urbanising country of the world. As a result, the urban cities and towns are crunching under unplanned and strained infra-structure; acute shortage of basic amenities, proliferation of slums and excessive pollution. On the other hand, the City District and District Governments are handicapped in providing civic services due to a multiplicity of local administrative units.

To correct these situations, MQM would take the following steps:

• MQM believes in unity of “Command”. A single administrative agency controlled under the City / District Nazim as far as municipal services and its revenue collection is concerned, for effective dealing and coordinative efforts to solve the problems of the citizens, like water, sewerage, solid waste, power supply etc. Master planning, land usage and allocation, disaster managements, health, education etc.
• Traffic administration in all metropolitan cities be delinked from Police and be placed under the control and management of City District Government.
• Introduction of large environment friendly buses in all districts and rapid mass transit in private sector dovetail with the overall City District Transport System with a Regulatory Board under the Nazim.
• Adequate security to life and property of all and sundry and elimination of criminal dens etc. through community policing having an elected Police Commissioner would be ensured.
• “Prevention is better then cure”. Studies have shown that 65% of diseases are water borne diseases. Thus, MQM strongly recommends that every possible step must be taken to supply safe drinking water to each and every soul in cities, towns and villages..
• Due to the Universal trend of migration from rural to urban centres, the cities are being overburdened by the influx. MQM believes that infrastructure development and industrialisation must take place in all parts of Pakistan.
• MQM wants each and every drop of sewage water must be treated before it goes into the sea/river because it pollutes and contaminates marine life.
• Low cost housing schemes would be encouraged in urban areas.

7- INDUSTRIES AND LABOUR SECTOR:

• MQM would advocate equal concentration on manufacturing not only on consumer goods but also on light and heavy industries to produce durable goods. It is imperative that stake holders from private sector are fully facilitated for the establishment of industrial estates. A public-private partnership mode will be deployed to encourage investment and realise hidden opportunities.

• To reduce inconvenience to the investors and for rapid industrialization and one window operation would be ensured.

• Reasonable wage structure, provision of health care insurance, old age benefits, disability pension and a housing unit after retirement to the low income employees both in public and private sector.

• Joint Monitoring Boards of entrepreneurs and labour would be established within industrial units to ensure respectable wage structure to the workers and uninterrupted production.

• Trade Unions of employees would be consulted before the public assets are privatized in order to hedge against subsequent fall outs and to safe guard the interests of employees. Consequent job losses need to be provided in such an eventuality.

• Special incentives would be provided for Small and Cottage Industries, especially regarding the allotments of land and easy credit.

• The recurring power load shedding to industrial unit would be addressed.

• MQM would continue to encourage private sector in developing information technology in such a way that it becomes the fastest growing earner of foreign exchange.

• Oversees Pakistanis who remit precious foreign exchange and promote foreign investment in Pakistan would be given preferential and respectable treatment and would be provided economic opportunities in Pakistan.

8–FINANCIAL AND FISCAL MEASURES:

• Increasing the ratio of direct taxes to indirect taxes.
• Reduction of non-developmental expenditures by government.
• All the loans of the big fishes written off would be clawed back and spent for the betterment of the people.
• Federating units would be engaged in the privatization process by the Federal Government and given a reasonable share from the proceeds.
• National Finance Commission (NFC) would be made independent but before that General Sales Tax and Excise Tax be assigned to the provinces.

9 – GOOD GOVERNANCE:

Since the inception of Pakistan, the system of government has been highly bureaucratic and common citizens can not assert their basic democratic rights. There is unquestionably a national crisis of confidence to which MQM will respond in a measured and sensible way. MQM, therefore, proposes not only to arrest this anarchical state of affairs but also help establish the rule of law, with malice towards none, through the following measures:

• Strict adherence to the principle of merit.
• Transparency and merit would be ensured in all Governmental actions including contracts, awarding of work and recruitment etc.
• Federal or Provincial Cabinet, instead of Prime Minister or Chief Minister, needs to take all policy decision strictly in accordance with law.
• Secret Funds placed at the disposal of the Prime Minister or Chief Minister would be subjected to independent audit and public scrutiny.
• Drastic measures are needed to ensure security of life and property to all citizens irrespective of their cast, creed, colour, religion, gender, political belonging or belief so that no innocent person is victimised and every aggrieved gets justice.
• Federal and Provincial Ombudsman and Accountant General Offices, Anti-Corruption Departments, Public Accounts Committees, Prime Minister’s and Chief Minister’s monitoring Committees would be headed by senior and dedicated government officers and public representatives to make these institutions more efficient and effective.
• Police would be brought under the City and District Governments.
• Federally Administered Areas (FATA) would be merged into the mainstream administration whereby the law of the land would be applied in consultation with and consent of the people of these areas.
• All citizens would be allowed to participate in free and fair Elections. MQM firmly believes in democratic rights for all citizens. A neutral, impartial and independent Election Commission would be constituted to conduct a free, fair and transparent Elections, whether General or of Local Bodies.

10-WOMEN, CHILDREN AND RELIGIOUS MINORITIES:

• Social ailments like gender discrimination, sexual harassment, domestic violence, child abuse, rape in vengeance and forcing the opponent’s womenfolk to march on public streets naked, honour killings, child marriage, Karo Kari, Vinee, Marriage to the Holy Quran, Bonded Labour and Child Labour will have to be dealt with by public awareness campaign in collaboration with community participation and stringent legislative measures.
• All the discriminatory laws against women and religious minorities would be repealed.
• Rampant gender discrimination both in urban and rural areas, the discouragement of female education and their full participation in society as equal citizen would be addressed through persistent teaching, public awareness and appropriate administrative and legislative measures.
• Religion should not obstruct the exercise of the inherent right of a citizen of Pakistan to participate in any matter; socio economic and or political.
• The religious minorities would be treated as equal citizens of Pakistan and be given state protection for their lives, property and freedom to practice their religion freely.
• To provide representation to minorities at least 5 % reserve seats be year marked for them in Legislative Bodies.
• A rigorous campaign and public awareness would be launched in collaboration with the people and religious scholars to exterminate religious extremism, hatred, fanaticism and terrorism from the country.

11-HUMAN RIGHTS:

• MQM believes in fundamental rights for all citizens and the State must take responsible steps in providing protection and security to all its citizens. Torture, police excesses, confinement without trial and sociopolitical harassment must cease in a democratic country of Pakistan.

12-MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION:

• MQM firmly believes in the freedom of expression. With the proliferation and freedom of both print and electronic media, public awareness has been increased manifold. MQM aspires for a robust, creative and developing media industry, combining commercial success and public service. The media emancipation would be non partisan, impartial and responsible. MQM would fully support the media’s freedom of expression. Under no circumstances, media’s independence would be curbed and public be deprived of their valuable service.

• The media regulatory authorities should be completely independent, mandated with sensible rules and fair regulation that cannot be used as a political tool.

13 – JUDICIARY:

• The judiciary must be independent, impartial and autonomous to impart justice to the people and establish rule of law in the society.
• Parallel judiciary systems would be abolished to uphold the sanctity of the judiciary and for an effective judicial system.
• The non-trial or inordinate delays of cases, congestion in prisons and the litigant’s grievances for delayed judgment would be addressed through appropriate steps by the government and the judiciary.
• Extensive and effective jail reforms would be introduced to reform the prisoners into responsible citizens and eliminate human rights abuses in jails.

14-ENVIRONMENT:

• Improvement of environment by making efficient use of natural resources and energy, respecting the natural world and wild life, utilising the open space, eco-friendly designs and construction methods, recycling waste, plantation on a large scale and creating parks in each locality.
• Extensive forestation in a most aggressive way.
• Industrial effluent and untreated sewage must not be dumped in to the sea.
• Sea and coast lines would be protected.

15 – CULTURE AND SPORTS:

• Culture knows no boundaries. It should be left to the discretion of the people without any undue hindrance from the State.
• The arts and sports culture is central to preserving a sense of community in the society. MQM is a proponent of institutionalization of arts and sports in the over all youth development programme. MQM would encourage youths towards arts and sports through the development of sports facilities, parks and backing private initiatives such as arts academies.

16 – FAMILY WELFARE:

• The population of Pakistan has increased from 33.82 million in 1951 to 151 million in 2004. By the year 2010, at the existing trend, it would reach about 170 million. The current growth rate is around 1.9 % per anum-the highest in the region and needs to be brought down to 1.6 % by the end of year 2010.

17 – FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

• MQM wants an independent foreign policy of the country and wants to promote close, friendly and honourable relations with all the countries especially with the neighbouring countries.
• MQM believes in the policy of peaceful coexistence-live and let live. MQM believes that all the disputes and conflicts be resolved through dialogue and peaceful means.
• MQM wants to solve the Kashmir issue through meaningful, sincere and honourable dialogue according to the wishes of Kashmiri people.
• MQM encourages confidence building measures and dialogue process with India and desires peace and close cooperation between the countries of South Asia especially in economic fields so as to provide peace, progress and prosperity to one fifth population of the world living in this region.