PESHAWAR: Catchy slogans and promises of resolving the lingering energy crisis and restoration of peace top the manifestos of almost all major political parties for the May 11 general election.
Various parties have coined new and different slogans like Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan’s slogan of “Naya Pakistan,” Pakistan Muslim League -Nawaz’s slogan of “Pakistan Bachayengay.” Pakistan People’s Party’s time-tested “Roti, Kapra Aur Makan,” and Awami National Party’s “Peaceful Pakistan.” The Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl are banking on the promise of making the country a welfare Islamic state.
While showing the usual green pastures, the political parties have chosen energy crisis and peace as main items in their election agenda to lure the voters along with promise of jobs for the unemployed youth and bringing an end to corruption.
The ANP has placed peace atop its manifesto while the PML-N, PTI and PPP are making promises of resolving the unprecedented energy crisis within three years if voted to power.
They also promise restoring peace on priority basis and creating maximum job opportunities. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F of Maulana Fazlur Rahman, JI and other parties also talk of peace restoration through dialogue. They are also warning that corruption would be tackled forcefully and the looters of the public exchequer would be handed. Besides, provision of civic amenities, health, education and employment opportunities are other gimmicks to befool the masses.
Like the past unfulfilled promise of the JI and the MMA, Imran Khan is also claiming that he would turn the Governor’s and Chief Minister’s Houses into educational institutions and would double the number of schools and colleges in five years. His time-frame for ending corruption is three months and loadshedding in three years. The PTI’s “New Pakistan” slogan is quite attractive, especially for youth while its promise of doing away with the notorious thana and patwari culture can lure voters of other age groups.
Nawaz Sharif promises an ideal and peaceful environment and getting rid of power breakdowns in the country. His priority list includes education for all, spreading roads network, creating lakhs of jobs for youths, fighting corruption and putting Pakistan on track to economic development.
The PPP is making hollow claims of ending poverty through the Benazir Income Support Programme and restoring peace and ending the power crisis. Voters are asking as to why it could not solve these problems during its five-year term.
The JI and JUI-F, however, are mainly banking on the gorgeous slogan of enforcement of Islamic Shariah to exploit the religious sentiments of voters. They also promise early restoration of peace and establishment of a society based on justice.
However, the restrictions on large public meetings and threats of attacks, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have confined the political parties to door-to-door campaign or corner meetings where local issues like the kutchery, police station, sanitation, street pavement, drinking water, gas and electricity dominate the candidates’ agenda.
Instead of direct contact with the electorate, the parties mainly rely on advertisements in the print and electronic media to propagate their past achievements and future plans. Exaggerated figures of economic stability, leaders and activists’ sacrifices and attractive hollow slogans of ending poverty and corruption are being coined to get voters’ sympathies despite the fact that the electorate has tested almost all the parties in the past.
Though the PML-N, PTI, JI and JUI are somehow relaxed to hold public rallies and corner meetings, the ANP and PPP campaign is restricted to door-to-door contacts or advertisements.
The case of Qaumi Watan Party of Aftab Ahmad Sherpao is not different as the party leadership is on the hit-list of militants. The party is promising to struggle for peace restoration in the region and getting Pakhtuns out of miseries like militancy, poverty, energy crisis and ignorance.
Same is the case of MQM as its candidates are unable to hold public gatherings and openly run election campaign. Though the party, which advocates empowering the middle and lower-middle classes, has fielded candidates in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, its election campaign is equal to nil as it is on the militants’ hit-list and lacks organization set-up and support in the province.
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