ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: President Pervez Musharraf will launch on Tuesday a ‘Vision 2030’ document aimed at making Pakistan a developed, industrialised and prosperous nation enjoying democracy and freedom of expression within one generation.

Official sources told Dawn on Saturday that the president had turned down a proposal to limit the launch to state-controlled media, saying that the document prepared by the Planning Commission needed a ‘national debate’.

An official said billions of rupees were required to realise the vision for which working groups were being finalised to prepare recommendations for each sector with the funding requirements.

“Pakistan needs to provide political freedom, economic justice and opportunity and cultural, religious and intellectual expression to its people,” the document urges.

It seeks commitment of the rulers to create ‘a just society’ if Pakistan is to be counted among developed countries. “The government has been urged to ensure rule of law and access to justice for every citizen,” an official said.

The document deals with internal and external challenges and offers solutions and remedies besides suggesting improving the economy by undertaking second-generation reforms which have been delayed by the government, drawing concern from international donors.

It advises the rulers to overcome the ‘democracy deficit’ “to restore trust between the state and the people”.

It asks the rulers “to ensure accountability of all organs of the state to avoid democratic disruptions as happened in the past”.

The core theme of the Vision 2030 is that Pakistan will transform itself into a just, prosperous and sustainable society.

It will be manifested initially through significantly reduced inequality and access to national resources, later it must lead to change in consumption patterns which do not harm the integrity and productivity of the natural systems while sustaining inter-generational equity.

“The institutional requirement for attaining all these features is the rule of law which provides optimal productivity and equity for each citizen,” it says, adding: “This is ensured when these rights are embedded in broad-based and participatory institutions, not just in the state sector but also through strong and capable civil society institutions and a socially responsible corporate sector.”

It says that economic justice can only flow from a well-ordered and inclusive society, where imbalances created by the continuation of an ancient order are resolved and national wealth is shared equitably.

“We must accord special attention to the vulnerable position of women in the home and workplace in the context of a patriarchal society which is crumbling fast, but is not yet confident of the new moorings. We expect to have crossed the threshold of gender-sensitive society within the next decade,” it says.

It says the country needs to cross three benchmarks -- independence of the judiciary, efficiency of the government and quality of the bureaucracy.