Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's party manifesto talks of ‘message of peace’ for India, but conditions apply

Former Pakistan prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Saturday (January 27) released his party's election manifesto. The much-anticipated election manifesto has been unveiled just weeks before general elections are due in Pakistan on February 8. Interestingly, Nawaz Sharif has said in his manifesto that if he voted back to power, he would send 'message of peace' to other countries, including India, as reported by Pakistani news outlet Dawn.

Watch | Pakistan elections: Will Nawaz Sharif get clear majority?

As he launched his manifesto, Sharif said at a party event in Lahore that the manifesto has beenmade with "great efforts". He vowed that promises in the manifesto will be fully implemented if his party is voted to power.

Stressing that Pakistan's economy was the most important aspect, Sharif said that on Saturday, he was talking neither to “express his grievances” nor was he “in a mood to complain today”.

He took a dig at former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, without mentioning his name.

“If I was there in the previous government instead of the person who you saw, I would have never done what he did,” said Sharif as quoted by Pakistani news outlet Dawn.

Khan is currently beset with legal troubles and there is also a question of whether his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) would be able to contest upcoming elections because of thebattle with election commission on technical aspects.

Here are some of the promises Nawaz Sharif's PML (N) made in its poll manifesto

• If voted to power, the party said that it will provide “cheap and increased electricity” to the public and would ensure. “speedy development”. It has said that this will result in 20 to 30 per cent reduction in electricity bills. Additionally, the manifesto said that that there will be 15,000 megawatt boost in electricity production and 10,000 megawatt increase in production of solar energy.
• The party has promised that it will ensure greater representation of youth in national politics as well as in local governments. PML (N) has said that it would restore student unions and expand the scope of the National Youth Scheme which would include financial help for IT start-ups and entrepreneurship.
• The manifesto says that Sharif's government would establish "Pakistan's first sports university"
• About foreign policy, the manifesto says that Pakistan will send “message of peace” to other countries including India. But there is a condition. The manifesto said that PML(N) wanted India to reverse actions it took in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.

In August 2019, India abrogated Section 370 of the Indian Constitution that granted a special status to Jammu and Kashmir and changed status of J&K from a state to a union territory.

PPP releases manifesto as well

Pakistan People's Party's (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari shared the party's manifesto on X (formerly Twitter). The manifesto is called "Chuno Nai Soch Ko" (Choose new thinking).

"The PPP is the only party with a plan to combat poverty, unemployment & inflation," he wrote in his post on X.

The manifesto mainly deals with poverty eradication and facilities for lower and working classes, healthcare, education, food security, women's empowerment.

(With inputs from agencies)