ISLAMABAD: Exuding too much optimism and confidence, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday unveiled its ambitious “agenda” outlining the party’s commitments for starting work within the first 100 days of forming its government after the 2018 general elections.

The salient features of the agenda are expeditious merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bifurcation of Punjab province and reconciliation with estranged Baloch leaders.

The agenda, prepared by the Policy Unit of the PTI’s Election Management Cell headed by former chief secretary of KP Shahzad Arbab, was unveiled at a ceremony attended by the party’s chairman Imran Khan and other top leaders.

The agenda also contains a plan for introducing a development package for Karachi and a programme for alleviation of poverty from the country, besides a number of steps for improvement of economy.

Plan includes Fata-KP merger, creation of new province, reconciliation with estranged Baloch leaders, package for Karachi

The agenda is based on six themes — transforming governance, strengthening the federation, re-vitalising economic growth, uplifting agriculture and conserving water, revolutionising social sector and ensuring national security.

Imran Khan said a government could take difficult decisions only during its initial days as this was the time when it had the maximum strength.

He highlighted the “achievements” of the PTI-led coalition government in KP where he claimed they had depoliticised bureaucracy and police.

Terming overseas Pakistanis an asset for the country, Mr Khan spoke about bringing in investment and capability into the country by tapping into the pool of six million overseas Pakistanis.

He said the PTI had gained experience and capability through five years of its government in KP which would help his team run the country in a much better way than they could have five years ago.

In five years, he said, the PTI had also learned about how to deal with resistance by the powers of status quo. He vowed to introduce “civil services reforms” in the country which would help improve delivery system.

FATA MERGER: PTI vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said all laws of Pakistan would gradually be enforced in Fata in consultation with the local people.

He said the PTI had expressed reservations over the draft law on Fata reforms prepared by the government and all proposals of the party had now been incorporated in the draft. The bill which would be passed by the National Assembly on Wednesday would be “reflective of the PTI’s thinking,” he added.

Mr Qureshi said a mega development plan would be implemented in Fata for which the other provinces would give three per cent share from the amount they received from divisible pool.

He said the black Frontier Crimes Regulations would be abolished and a legal infrastructure would be provided to Fata which was necessary after the passage of the bill extending the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and Peshawar High Court to the tribal region.

SOUTHERN PUNJAB: He said the PTI was committed to bifurcate Punjab which presently had 110 million population, which was 57 per cent of the country’s total population. He said Punjab was larger than KP and even many countries of the world.

Mr Qureshi said the PTI would carve out a new southern Punjab province which would be given complete autonomy. He said the new province would be made an agricultural hub in the next five years and an economic package would also be announced for the people of southern Punjab. The youth of the new province would be provided job opportunities through setting up of food processing industry.

BALOCHISTAN: The PTI vice-chairman said they would heal their wounds and reconcile with the estranged Baloch youth who had taken positions on mountains and were being used by intelligence agencies of India and Afghanistan. He said they would fulfil all promises with the Baloch people and ensure implementation on job quota reserved for the province.

KARACHI: Mr Qureshi said the coming PTI government would announce a “federal package” for Karachi after implementing a six-point agenda for the city. The six-point agenda for Karachi includes improvement in law and order situation, crackdown on extortionists and China cutting mafia, elimination of militant wings of political parties, launching a public transport system, a housing infrastructure policy and empowerment of local government.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: MNA Asad Umar presented the salient points of the economic policy of the PTI government and vowed that the party would create 10 million jobs, revive manufacturing, rapidly grow small and medium enterprises sector, facilitate private sector to build five million houses, boost tourism, reform tax administration, transform state-owned-enterprises, fix energy challenge, make China-Pakistan Economic Corridor a game changer and enhance access to finance.

AGRICULTURE: Former secretary general of the PTI Jahangir Tareen highlighted the steps the PTI government planned to take for uplifting agriculture sector and for conservation of water. He said the party would impose an “agriculture emergency” to take steps on war-footing basis to increase farmers’ profitability, improve farmers’ access to finance, transform agriculture produce markets, incentivise value-addition, revamp livestock sector and upgrade and implement the National Water Policy.

KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak talked about the party’s agenda to improve social services like education and health whereas MNA Shireen Mazari highlighted the party’s priorities for ensuring national security, announcing setting up of four national security organisations. She also highlighted steps needed for mainstreaming of seminaries and measures to fight terrorism.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2018