MANIFESTO MOHAMMAD JIBRAN NASIR
HumMeinSe #Aik
AZAD UMEEDWAAR NA-247 PS-111 Intikhabhi Nishaan:
LOUD SPEAKER SPEAKER
CONTENTS Chapter 1: My Vision Our Struggle What I Stand for and What I Oppose
Chapter 2: Statement of Principles Democracy and Civilian Control Freedom of the Press Separation of Powers National Unity Rule of Law Access to Justice Equal Freedoms Essential Services and Economic Justice
Chapter 3: Self Accountability and Accessibility First 90 Days
Chapter 4: Essential Services Primary and Secondary Education Madrassah Education Tertiary Education Water Health Electricity Waste Management Environmental Protection Legal Aid
CONTENTS Chapter 5: Economic Reforms Taxation and Economic Justice Macroeconomic Stability Labour Policy Digital Reforms
Chapter 6: Creating C reating a Free, Fair Fair and Safe Society Judicial Reforms Police Reforms Extrajudicial Actions and Enforced Disappearances Militant Organizations Independent Press
Chapter 7: Empowering Society Women Youth Religious Minorities Transgender Rights People with Special Needs Animal rights
CHAPTER ONE MY VISION “IF BECAUSE OF WHAT I SAY OR HOW I CONDUCT MYSELF, A YOUNG BOY OR GIRL IS INSPIRED TO ENTER POLITICS AND BE THE CHANGEMAKER, THE HONEST, HARDWORKING, INDEPENDENT LEADER WE DESPERATELY NEED, THEN... I WILL CONSIDER MY WORK AND MY LIFE A RESOUNDING SUCCESS.”
OUR STRUGGLE IS FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS
DEMOCRACY
RULE OF LAW
SECURITY
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY
END TO VIP CULTURE
BASIC UTILITIES
HEALTH AND EDUCATION
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
I STAND FOR
I OPPOSE
A democratic Pakistan
Corruption and poor po or governance governance
A Pakistan in which all citizens
Military interference in politics
have access to justice and are
Censorship of the press and
equal before the law
intimidation of journalists
A Pakistan in which all citizens live
Judicial inefficiencies and
free from the fear of violence and
miscarriages of justice
persecution
VIP Culture
A well governed, prosperous, and
Violence and discrimination
equitable Pakistan
against minorities
Open and transparent governance governance
Violence and discrimination
An active, courageous, and
against women
compassionate approach to
State patronage of divisive
citizenship
ideologies
Hope for the future
Exploitative Exploitativ e and illegal mafias and
Women empowerment
monopolies
Empowering labour and student
Extreme poverty
unions
Gross wealth inequality
Regional Peace and Foreign Policy
Environmental degradation
driven by our economic interests
Apathy and cynicism
Preserving and promoting Arts &
Bonded labour
Culture
Cruelty to animals
Strengthening our entertainment industry
CHAPTER CHAPTE R TWO TWO STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES
“YOU ARE FREE; YOU ARE FREE TO GO TO YOUR TEMPLES. YOU ARE FREE TO GO TO YOUR YOUR MOSQUES OR TO ANY OTHER PLACES OF WORSHIP IN THIS ST STA ATE OF PAKIST PAKISTAN. AN. YOU MAY MAY BELONG TO ANY RELIGION, CASTE OR CREED—THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE STATE.”
Democracy and Civilian Control The citizens of Pakistan have an inalienable right to govern themselves. This involves the right to vote for representatives and representative institutions in elections that are free, fair, regular, and safe. The role of the military is to defend our national borders and prevent attacks by violent non-state actors; it is not the role of the military leadership to decide policy, whether foreign or domestic. It is also not their place to attempt to influence Pakistan’s democratic processes in any way. Our military has built its prestige on the sacrifices of our brave soldiers and it is not fitting for decisionmakers within the military to invite controversy and criticism of the entire institution by transgressing their constitutional mandate. Nations that are prosperous, free, and secure have militaries that are strong and confident but at the same time firmly under civilian control. For too long has the military used the excuse of civilian incompetence and corruption to interfere in government. At the same time, for too long have politicians used the excuse of military interference to justify their own failings. I stand for responsible civilian government that works in the best interests of the people of Pakistan and for a military that has the maturity and integrity to stay out of politics in accordance with the role defined for them in the Constitution.
Freedom of the Press A free and vibrant press is an essential component of any functioning democratic system. The role of the press starts from ensuring free and fair elections all the way to covering the finest details of government functions and policymaking and ensuring the accountability of officials, whether elected or unelected. Citizens cannot be well informed and empowered without access to independent, responsible, and intellectually rigorous sources of information. As such, the censorship of the press, the intimidation of journalists, and the promotion of fake news are not just a threat to democracy but also a gross violation of every citizen’s fundamental constitutional rights to information and choice.
Separation of Powers Powers The Pakistani constitution enshrines a separation of powers between the judiciary, the legislature, and the executive. This separation of powers is essential to both democracy and the rule of law. As the federal legislature, Parliament must make laws in the interests of the people of Pakistan whereas it is the judiciary that must ensure that such laws are not repugnant to the Constitution. However, the power of the judiciary to interpret the Constitution should not be used as a means to judicialize politics or assume executive authority. If it is to be respected, judicial authority must be wielded with restraint and access to justice must be provided to all. At the same time, politicians must recognize that if they fail to serve the public, other institutions will inevitably step in to fill the vacuum.
National Unity Political and military leaders must end their patronage and support of organizations and individuals who engage in violence or violent speech of any kind, whether ethnic or sectarian. All those who promote prejudice and sow division in society should be dealt with in accordance with the law. Hateful ideologies have brought great harm to Pakistan and stand contrary to the principles of all peace-loving religions.
Rule of Law Rule of law is an essential part of a functioning and fair democracy. Suspects of crime must be accorded due process and right to fair trial. State institutions must discontinue the use of arbitrary and unconstitutional measures such as enforced abductions and extra judicial judic ial killi killings. ngs. All stat state e institut institutions ions must be held held acco accountab untable le for for any and all violations of the constitution.
Access to Justice Equal access to justice is a fundamental right. Court delays and lack of access to legal counsel violates these rights, leading citizens to lose faith in the state and engage in vigilante actions. It is incumbent upon the judiciary to set their house in order by enforcing costs against litigants who bring frivolous and vexatious cases and lawyers who waste court time through the practice of repeated adjournments; by drafting rules to enforce provisions against perjury; by setting maximum time limits on cases; and by providing the public with access to relevant court statistics.
Equal Freedo Freedoms ms It is the duty of the Pakistani government to ensure that every Pakistani is able to enjoy the same rights and freedoms as every other Pakistani. In accordance with the vision of the Quaid-e-Azam, no Pakistani should be discriminated against on the basis of caste, creed, color, wealth, or gender. Both the Judiciary and the Parliament have a responsibility to protect the lives and property of all Pakistani citizens and uphold their rights to speech, press, religion, assembly, and association. These are basic human rights guaranteed under the Constitutions and no government body or state institution should be able to take them away.
Essential Services and Economic Justice It is the duty of the Pakistani government to provide essential services to all citizens of Pakistan. No Pakistani should be without food, clothing, shelter, and a clean environment . Electricity, affordable healthcare, and a quality education should be available to all. Given that we have limited funds and a burgeoning population, these essential services must be prioritized over showpiece infrastructure projects that fail to provide relief to the suffering or develop the human capital of our young population. In order to provide such services, it is the responsibility of the government to broaden the tax base and bring untaxed sectors into the formal economy. In order to raise public funds, we should rely on progressive income tax rather than sales taxes and excessive borrowing. Great extremes of wealth and poverty are not conducive to human welfare or economic growth. The rich must pay their fair share so that the poor do not go without basic amenities and we are able to pursue development in a manner that is sustainable.
CHAPTER THREE SELF ACCOUNTABI ACCOUNTABILITY LITY AND ACCESSIBILITY
First 90 Days The primary test for checking performance and effectiveness of any Member of Parliament should be to check how accessible the Parliamentarian is to his or her constituents and to what extent is the Parliamentarian willing to be transparent and present him or herself for accountability. We have entered the digital age with advanced and cost effective means of connectivity and communication and hence it is important that our Democracy also functions accordingly. As our first step after being elected we would be establishing 24hr operational complaint centres across the Constituency which will be backed by a Mobil App, Web App and the SMS Service making it easy for Constituent to register their complain which reaches us directly. The Complaint will be registered against a Computer Generated Number which will serve as a receipt and the Database which will record these Complaints will be publicly viewable on our website and will also provide the time taken to respond to the said Complaint and what action was taken. Making the Database publicaly accessible will allow Constituent to form a report card of the performance of their Parliamentarian based on empirical data. It is our belief that the successful implementation and function of this system will encourage voters around Pakistan to demand the same accessibility and transparency from their respective Parliamentarians as well. We believe that our democracy will improve through healthy competition in service delivery not through mudslinging and running defamatory campaigns.
CHAPTER FOUR ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Primary and Secondary Education Education is a basic human right and no country can develop and prosper without universal access to quality education. Education is also a means of promoting national integration and the values of good citizenship. Large sums of money have been spent on educational infrastructure, but educational outcomes have not improved largely due to the poverty of our educational content and delivery. As such, I support the following measures Ensuring complete realization of the promise free education including free tuition, books, stationary, uniforms, transport and meals Constituency wide door to door campaigns to register all out of school children and focusing on their enrollment Review and Modernization of Curricula including introduction of STEM programs Removal of Hate Material Teacher Training Training and Incentives Monitoring Cell for Public Schools Regulations for Private Schools putting a cap on their annual fee increments Public-Private Partnerships as short term measures and stop gap arrangements for struggling Public Schools Medium of Instruction to be in Mother Tongue given majority language of a district Working to end child labour which is a huge impediment in way of millions of our childern getting their fundamental rights including education
Ensuring effective and full utilization of education budget and timely release of fund to Education Departments to support and complete ongoing government schemes Effective security arrangements at all educational institutions
Madrassah Education Madrassahs in Pakistan fill in the major void left by our Government in providing and ensuring the fundamental right to education. An estimate 3 million students are enrolled in Madrassahs benefitting from free education, uniform, stipends and even hostel accommodation. It is unfortunate that the Governments in the past have only engaged Madrassahs under Foreign Pressure be it to support them during the Afghan War or to clamp down on them as part of the Global War on Terrorism and hence creating doubts about the bona fide of the respective Governments. A dialogue rooted in the welfare Madrassah students and the needs of a Modern Democratic State has to be initiated. Madrassahs play an important role in preserving prese rving and expanding on Islamic traditions and jurisprudenc jurisprudence. e. However, at the same time the Madrassah boards and their curricula is not regulated by any Government authority which has not only hindered growth and amalgamation of Madrassah students in the Job sector as well causing conflicts due to religious interpretations which do not reconcile with the need of a modern democratic state. As prayer leaders, many Madrassah graduate provide guidance on social, political, economic and cultural issues in their sermons hence in view of their influence it is important to introduce effective reforms. Accordingly I support the following measures: Regulating Madrassah Curricula and Examination Board bringing it under Government control Introducing subjects of sciences, social sciences and liberal arts in the curricula
Reconciling existing Madrassah Curricula with the Constitutions of Pakistan, democratic principles and concept of equal citizenship of all Pakistanis regardless of their religion Scholarships for those wanting to pursue graduate and post graduate studies in Islamic Jurisprudence from International Universities Career Counselling for students who want to branch out to other fields after completing formal education at Madrassahs
Tertiary Education Pakistan’s tertiary education is in a crisis. We need strong and robust higher education to move from a simply functionally literate country to a knowledge-based society. Our universities have turned into degree mills, producing low-quality college and university graduates. Many lack basic analytical and critical thinking skills needed to prosper in professional environments. Our universities also do not support liberal arts education or foster debate, free thinking, which are required for the functioning of a vibrant democracy. To this end I support: Introducing more liberal arts education and curriculum to support critical thinking skills Increase funding for science and technology universities Government support of research based educational reforms Expand the Overseas Scholarship Program Financially support and cultivate a culture of PhDs Allocate more funds from the annual budget to the HEC Introducing a standard practice of using anti plagiarizing Software at all universities and colleges to vet dissertations and research papers Ensuring that all universities granting degrees in fields such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Engineering etc are fulfill all requirments of licensing councils/authorities and are duly registered to secure future of students Clamp down on fake degrees.
Water Human beings cannot live without water. Sadly, due to mismanagement and wastage, wastage, Pakistan is fast running out of this precious resource, and is projected to become a water-scarce country by 2025. We have over-exploited our groundwater, lowering water tables in our districts. Our irrigation system is also plagued by inefficiency and loss, with over 50% of canal water not reaching farms. In addition, lack of clean drinking water leads to diseases such as typhoid and cholera as well as high rates of child mortality due to dehydration caused by diarrhea. Unicef estimates more than two-thirds of Pakistan’s households drink contaminated water. And 110 children under the age of 5 die daily because of diseases related to water and sanitation. These are appalling figures. As such I support water conservation, the construction of environmentally sustainable dams, the construction of desalination plants, and the ruthless accountability of water usage in the agricultural sector where the vast majority of wastage is taking place. I also support strict enforcement of the policies suggested in the National Water Policy 2018. I also support private-public partnerships to set up numerous neighborhood water sanitation plants to improve the quality of our drinking water. In addition, I support an end to political patronage of the tanker mafia that has enriched itself by using its control over scarce water resources as a weapon against the citizens of Karachi.
Health Healthcare is a basic human right but Pakistan’s health indicators are abysmal: at a glance, we have the highest newborn infant mortality rate in the world, with one in every 22 babies born dying within a month. We are also one of three countries left in the world that still has polio. The best way to tackle our numerous health problems is through a national health service with its own dedicated infrastructure that provides free and comprehensive healthcare to all, like the British NHS. However, as we all know, Pakistan lacks the funding to provide such a free service to all and to develop the nationwide infrastructure to deliver it. In the medium term, however, Pakistan can develop a national insurance scheme that provides inpatient and emergency coverage at both private and public hospitals for those whose income in under the taxable limit. The government should also focus on preventive and primary health care. Other measures that can reduce the incidence of disease, and prevent the spread of communicable diseases are as follows: Ensure that concerned Food Authorities/Departments regularly check and maintain quality standards at food outlets to help reduce food and water borne diseases To make Primary Care Facilities operational and effective to lower burden on Tertiary care Hospitals
Increasing the number of Neo Natal and Pediatric Emergency Services and ICU facilities Making schemes focusing on addressing mother and child malnourishment more effective Government should support existing blood donation drives as well run its own drives to encourage donors and at the same time increase storage capacity and inventory management of existing blood banks which also opening up more branches for better outreach Ensuring that all regulations of Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan are enforced on all Drug Inspectors. Provinces need to be empowered with their own task force for them to operate independently and effectively Revising our approach towards drug addicts by acknowledging acknowl edging that those struggling with addictions need to be respected and accepted as members of societies with potential to make constructive contributions to society. We cannot continue the approach of looking down upon and shaming addicts which pushes them further to the fringe as opposed to help them overcome their struggle Public Awareness Campaigns on mental health, hygiene, sanitation, preventive measures and healthy habits
Introducing Mental Health Awareness in education curricula in Secondary schools and upwards as well as training and sensitizing Law Enforcement Agencies and First Responders on Psychological health Ensure that the Health Budget is effectively and fully utilized to support existing government health schemes and projects Enforced of Anti Quackery Laws and crackdown on all unregistered medical practitioners and associated mafias Incentivize Police Vaccination by adding monetary benefits for families who get their children regularly vaccinated to realise the dream of a Polio Free Pakistan
Electricity Electricity is an essential service. The absence of electricity adversely impacts one’s quality of life and undermines one’s ability to realize rights to healthcare, information, and education. In today’s day and age we cannot expect our children to study by candlelight. At the same time, the provision of affordable and reliable electricity is a basic requirement of a modern, competitive economy. As such, the lack of electricity affects everything from our infant mortality rate, our literacy rate, and our negative balance of payments. However, despite decades of promises to solve Pakistan’s electricity crisis, Pakistanis continue to experience load shedding, especially in rural areas, and especially during the summers when demand is at its peak. I support the following measures to solve this crisis: Good policy cannot be made on the basis of bad or falsified data or by concealing information from independent experts. A first step is to obtain reliable statistics and releasing those statistics to the public Introduction of clean, sustainable, and secure power sources such as wind, hydro, and solar Upgrading the national grid to prevent loss during transmission Preventing distribution companies such as K-Electric from exploiting their consumers by illegally charging peak tariffs during off peak hours and using tampered meters to exaggerate their consumption. All consumers should be provided facility of Time of Use Digital Meters with electricity bills providing proper details breakdown of bill as per law
Bringing an end to deliberate underutilization of Power Generation Plants by private producers who do so to increase their profits at the expense of welfare of the consumers Ending circular debt via institutional reforms and compelling powerful consumers to pay their electricity bills on time
Waste Management Poor waste management is the main reason for the high incidence of waterborne water borne diseases and high rates of child mortality in Pakistan. Around 90% of largely untreated industrial and municipal waste is dumped into open drains. In addition, raw sewage released directly into the ocean has poisoned our marine life and has led to dead zones in the sea around Karachi. If we do not take steps in this direction we are literally poisoning our children and ourselves through our shortsightedness. As such, I support the building of waste to energy plants with along with recycling recycling units so that our waste waste can be dealt with in a sustainable manner. I also support a government-run campaign to raise awareness and civic responsibility regarding sustainability and recycling. I will strongly campaign for the effective enforcement of legislation against Single Use Plastics and for same will advocate incentives and subsidies for producers of biodegradable materials as well as retailers for adopting environmentally friendly practices.
Environmental Protection A clean environment is now globally recognized as a fundamental human right that all governments have an obligation to uphold. Pakistan, however, has most one of the lowest forest covers in the world, along with the highest rates of deforestation. Rapid urbanization has also led to deteriorating air quality, which affects the health of our citizens. Pakistan is also currently ranked 7th out 181 countries most at risk for climate change. Climate change threatens the Indus river system, by changing ice and snow accumulation patterns, and is also increasing flash flooding in the north. At the same time dumping several million gallons of industrial waste and sewerage water in our seas has adversely affected the marine life which is not only destroying the natural eco systems but also having adverse effects on our fishing industry and fishermen community. Accordingly, it is imperative that safer methods of disposing industrial waste should be adopted along with treating sewerage water as mentioned earlier. To combat this, I support mass rural plantations as well the creation of urban forests to address the alarming levels of air pollution in our major cities such as Lahore and Peshawar. I also support a massive campaign to raise awareness of climate change in both rural and urban areas, and empower the Ministry of Climate Change to strictly implement its policies.
Legal Aid The Complaint Centres mentioned above in chapter 3 will also serve as a Legal Aid Centre where during day hour a Lawyer would be present to provide free legal advice, assist in drafting any application to any Government body and to assist any Constituent with registering FIR and/or Complaint Complaint with Police if the Police is resisting to do same.
CHAPTER FIVE ECONOMIC REFORMS
Taxation and Economic Justice In order to provide such services, it is the responsibility of the government to broaden the tax base, clamp down on tax evaders, and bring untaxed sectors into the formal economy. In order to raise public funds, we should rely on progressive income tax rather than sales taxes and excessive borrowing. Great extremes of wealth and poverty are not conducive to human welfare or economic growth. The rich must pay their fair share so that the poor do not go without basic amenities and we are able to pursue development in a manner that is sustainable.
Macroeconomic Stability Pakistan is in the midst of a balance of payments crisis brought about by a persistent and growing gap between our imports and our exports. As a result, the rupee is in a downward spiral, which is in turn fueling higher rates of inflation than we have seen in many years. Alarmingly, despite the depreciation of the rupee, our exports have not gone up and it seems that yet another IMF bailout is inevitable. If we are to escape this destructive cycle of repeated bailouts, we must increase our manufacturing base in accordance with a long-term plan for export led growth and import substitution—and none of this will be possible without cheap, plentiful, and sustainably produced electric power. At the same time, any future government must avoid the PML-N’s strategy of artificially stabilizing the currency by interventions funded by foreign borrowing. Instead we should seek to increase our remittances by offering incentives and making the payment process easier while also encouraging foreign investors by improving our law and order and improving the ease of doing business in Pakistan.
Labour Policy Policy Pakistan’s labour policies are rarely observed or enforced. The first step towards more equitable treatment of factory and farm workers is better enforcement of existing laws rather than more legislation. In order to improve enforcement, I support:
The creation of a proactive monitoring and complaint cell with judicial powers for both industry and agriculture. Mandatory board seat for union leadership in all large enterprises. Minimum full time wage of PKR 25,000 per month to reflect increased costs of living. An end to child labor. One estimate puts child labor in Pakistan at 12.5 million children - these children need to be in school. An end to bonded labour. Incentives to increase female participation in the workforce, currently at 25%.
Digital Ref Reforms orms The 21st century will belong to those nations that make strategic investments in technology, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and automation. Unfortunately, Pakistan lags far behind its neighbors, and needs to seriously implement radical technological and digital reforms. To that end I support: Teaching coding and computer science at both secondary and tertiary levels of education to improve tech literacy Providing vocational training in computer science for recent school and university graduates Supporting startups by building incubators and providing initial seed funding for promising new initiatives Encouraging IT exports and attracting IT outsource opportunities Moving towards a financial system based on technology, including cashless payments. This will introduce more accountability in the system, and support government initiatives like distribution of welfare Pushing for digital reform in governance, including moving towards a cloud database for physical records, and updating national databases along the lines of NADRA
CHAPTER SIX CREATING CREA TING A FREE FREE,, FAIR AND AND SAFE SOCIETY
Judiciall Reforms Judicia Reforms Access to justice is a fundamental right. Court delays and lack of access to legal counsel violate these rights. I support the following measures to defeat delays: Enforcing costs against those who bring vexatious and frivolous cases Enforcing penalties on lawyers who use the strategy of repeated adjournments Clear rules to enforce provisions against perjury Setting maximum time limits on cases. Access to relevant statistics Free Legal Aid to minors, women and all under trial prisoners
Police Ref Reforms orms I would support: Complete Administrative and Financial Autonomy of the Police Forc Force e Citizens Police Liaison Committees to promote closer cooperation between citizen stakeholders and the police Special Cells within Police with authority to investigate police brutality, enforced disappearances and extra judicial judic ial mur murders ders Complaint Officers with the authority to investigate police brutality, enforced disappearances, and police encounters Induction of more women police officers as well as police officers from minority communities Digitization of police records including all cases registered, monthly crime reports of areas and special investigation reports and the same should be publically accessible Gender sensitization and training for police officers Training of all Police Officers in all recent legislations which have revised Penal Laws
Extrajudicial Actions and Enforced Enf orced Disappearances Disappearances Pakistan is in the midst of an epidemic of extrajudicial actions by various state agencies aimed at those they deem to be unpatriotic or simply troublemakers. These actions are unconstitutional, illegal, and a grave violation of fundamental human rights. These actions also give Pakistani state institutions a bad name in the international community and leads to the undermining of the rule of law and the brutalizing of society. I have been at the forefront of demanding the return of those abducted without trial or killed on flimsy or false pretexts in the absence of due process. If anyone is suspected of a crime he or she must be produced in court, allowed legal representation, and presented with the charges against him. If I am elected, I will support legislation specifically aimed towards preventing enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings by holding the senior-most decisionmakers of the responsible department or institutions personally and criminally liable for any such unconstitutional and illegal actions taken by their subordinates.
Militant Organizations No country can progress if violent non-state actors are allowed to endanger the lives of its citizens and encourage hatred between different communities. Aside from violating individual rights to life and bodily integrity, violence by non-state actors is also one of the biggest impediments to our economic growth. The state must retain its monopoly over the use of violence and no sound military or security strategy can ever allow for the undermining of that monopoly by empowering proxies. All state institutions must immediately cease their support for militant organizations and all those who engage in violence or encourage violence must be dealt with by the full force of the law. I support legislation that further clarifies the status of banned militant organizations, and specifically bans their affiliates from participating in elections or collecting charity. I would also support making to illegal to aid and abet banned outfits’ activities. Accordingly I support making the process of proscribing organizations and individuals as well the process of lifting bans on organizations and individuals should be made more transparent. I further support that criminal cases pending against individuals already placed on the 4th Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 should be prioritized and related trials should proceed under special supervision of the Higher Judiciary. At the same time I advocate reconciling our Anti-Terrorism and Anti Hate Speech Laws with our Election Laws to ensure that those deemed a threat to society and our national integration should not be allowed to become part of the electoral process. Furthermore, strict action should be taken by Election Commission of Pakistan against candidates and political parties who reach out to proscribed organizations and individuals for electoral support and would push for necessary legislation with Parliament.
Independent Press Every country needs a strong and independent free press that exists both to inform citizens and to act as a check on the other institutions of the country. The press does not exist to act as a mouthpiece of either the civilian government or the military. It deserves to be free from external pressure and censorship, and journalists should be able to work without fear for their own safety. safety. I support any legislation that provides protection for journalists, and I condemn state actors who are blocking the distribution of newspapers or any media in the country.
CHAPTER SEVEN EMPOWERING SOCIETY
“YOU HAVE TO CARE FOR ALL BEINGS CREATED BY GOD... MY MISSION IS TO HELP ANY PERSON IN NEED.”
Women Every individual regardless of her/his gender is guaranteed equal protection and rights under the scheme of our Constitution. As a country we harmed no one but ourselves through policies and laws which have not allowed women to maximize their growth and realize their potential as members of society. Too often we have used the excuse of morality to limit active participation of women in public life whereas women have been at the forefront of developing and protecting Pakistan serving in various fields despite all hindrances. I oppose any law that discriminates between men and women and I support policies such as: Mandatory gender sensitization workshops in schools, universities, courts of law, and government offices. Legal Literacy drives to empower women making them aware of their legal rights Right to divorce and child custody on par with men, as well as the rights to alimony and child support. Ensuring safe transportation means for women by introducing Government sponsored schemes to introduce bus and taxi services operated by women for women Legislation that declares the results of elections to be invalid in any constituency where women’s votes are less than 30% of the total votes cast. Legal aid centers for survivors of harassment and assault. More female members in the higher judiciary and in the prosecution office
Better enforcement of the Protection Against Harassment of Women Women at the Workplace Workplace Act of 2010 20 10 starting with making it mandatory for all registered organizations whether privately or publicly owned to submit to their respective Registrar their Code of Conduct and Details of Internal Committee set up to inquire into Harassment Ensuring timely pay, benefits and protection of all Lady Health Workers
Youth Pakistan’s youth is our greatest asset, yet it is a shame that we have failed to invest in that asset. More than half of our Population is under 30 whereas 29% of Pakistan is between 15 and 29 years of age, which calls for a specific youth policy in place. Our youth are turning to destructive and divisive ideologies in greater numbers because they lack guidance, opportunity, and recreational outlets to express their creativity. In addition, if we are to build a more cohesive national community then we must bring together young people from different walks of life and motivate them towards a common purpose. At the same, despite being the 6th largest country in terms of population we have failed to capitalize on the massive potential it has to develop a Sports economy As such I support the following: Making all Technical Technical Training Training Institu Institutes tes functional fun ctional aimed that training youth given the needs of our developing market space Establishing free language teaching and training institute for English and Mandarin Establishing IT Skills Centres aimed at improving digital literacy and training youth to prepare them for changing needs of digital and online economy Establishing Free Wifi Zones in Karachi to assist youth both with educational and commercial needs Government sponsored incubators to help groom and prepare young entrepreneurs Building upon the existing sports infrastructure of Karachi starting with ridding all sports grounds from mafias and making them functional and organizing City and Province wide leagues to engage and develop our sporting talent
Religious Minorities All citizens should enjoy equal rights, freedoms, and protections regardless of whether they are members of their race, religion, or sect. No multi ethnic and multi religious society can prosper without harmony between its communities. Societies are judged by how they treat their weakest members and we have a moral obligation to treat our minorities the way we would wish to be treated if we were minorities ourselves. As such I oppose any law that is founded on any type of discrimination between my fellow citizens or impinges upon the freedom of religion of any citizen. I would also specifically campaign for: Protection and preservation of all Houses of Worship Reforming Election Laws which allow minorities to elect representatives on seats reserved for minorities in Parliament as opposed to the same people being selected by Political Parties Removal of all and any hate material in our education curriculum which prejudices any religious and/or ethnic group Enforcement of all existing Quota schemes in place which guarantee job placements for minorities Strong and decisive action against all those who misuse blasphemy laws to make false allegations and terrorize and endanger any individual and/or segment of society Reconcile and Reform blasphemy laws of Pakistan in light of Islamic Jurisprudence as the current laws are a misrepresentation and result of politicized approach towards Islamic laws as opposed to an accurate and academic approach
Transg ransgende enderr Rights Rights It is a welcoming welcoming sign that Pakistan has intro introduced duced legislation according basic rights to transgender citizens and penalizing discrimination against them by employers, educational institutions, transportation service providers, healthcare providers and any private business or service provider along with setting up Government run protection centres. However, as we have seen in the past that even the most well intended legislation has failed to bring in the desired change in society due to lack of awareness, sensitization and implementation. The Government should dedicate resources to create awareness about this law in all languages and set up task force for its implementation as well for which it is mandatory to provide sensitization training to Law Enforcement Agencies, members of Judiciary as well the Media.
People with Special Needs It is our moral obligation to ensure that people with special needs have equal access to public space. All government buildings must be wheelchair accessible and public transport must be designed to allow access by people with special needs. In addition, in order to overcome social stigmas surrounding ‘disabilities’, I would support legislation that would make it illegal for both private and public organizations to refuse employment to people with disabilities as well as affirmative action measures to ensure that they can compete with their peers on an equal footing. Furthermore, the Government must introduce schools and a proper curricula for those who are intellectually challenged. Every citizen must be allowed to realize their maximum potential and in this sphere we can all learn from the remarkable success and achievements of our athletes of the Special Olympics Pakistan Team.
Animal rights I support legislation that prevents cruelty towards animals, including domestic animals, farm animals, and beasts of burden. burden. I also oppose culling of strays dogs and support humane capture, vaccination, and rehabilitation. Certain animal are also used for transporting goods for those who cannot afford vehicles for same. Proper care and good health of an animal only helps those using them for transport. Hence, owners of such animals should be trained in how to give proper care as well as animal friendly harnesses should be used which causes minimum stress and damage to the animal. Furthermore, the government also needs to open Veterinary clinics and hospitals in urban centers where free care and treatment is provided to such animals.
MOHAMMAD JIBRAN NASIR
ELECTION SYMBOL: LOUDSPEAKER
NA-247 PS-111
