PIDE REFORM MANIFESTO
Transforming Economy and Society
Much Needed Political Stability
– Political parties to demonstrate a minimum of 50,000 members with 30% women & minority
representation.
– Regular intra-party elections
– Publicly disclose financial reports
– Reduce constitutional term of parliament to 4 years
– Practice of interim government should be eliminated
– No contesting multiple seats
– Term and family limits for parliamentarians
– Mandatory attendance in all parliamentary sittings
Public administration for the 21st century
– Separation between parliament and executive
– Induct experts into the cabinet
– Reduce the number of ministries at the federal level
– Eliminate generalist, colonial examination system in civil bureaucracy
– No more lifetime employment in the public sector
– Introduce modern HRM in the public offices
– Digitise public offices
– Reduction in multiple hearings and adjournment at the judicial level
– Local government must imply local administrative, not just local politics
Cities – Engines of growth
– Inclusive, mixed-use, dense and vibrant cities
– True democracy in local governments
– Encourage walkability and cycling within city centres and downtown
Fiscal management
– Independent Planning Commission
– Establishment of an independent budget unit
– Duration of Parliamentary budget process should extend to minimum 60 days
– Performance based budgeting
– Adherence to fiscal rules
– Cleaning of existing PSDP portfolio
– PSEs to run through a corporate set up
– Close down unnecessary PSEs
– Move towards defined contribution system of pensions
– Minimise government footprint
– Improve coordination between provincial and federal revenue authorities
– Universalise income tax
– Reduce reliance on indirect taxes
– Rationalise tax exemptions and concessions
– Create central repository of public assets
– Remove legal and regulatory hindrances
Developing markets
– Clear property rights guaranteed by law
– Clear rules for information sharing in trading
– Allow the pricing mechanism to let the goods and services
Trade openness: Competing globally
– Remove multiple tariff rates on the same items
– Remove additional regular duties & tariff cascading
– End import substitution
– Promote trading houses that serve as intermediaries in trade
– Export subsidies must be linked with export performance
– SRO – based exemption should be removed in three years
– One percent corporate income tax concession for every USD 100 million value of export
Energising the future
– Independent power commission under supervision of parliament.
– Unbundle DISCOs horizontally and vertically
– Independent regulatory authority
– Energy transition through net metering, and off-grid solutions
– Revise uniform tariff policy
– No cross subsidy or revenue based load-shedding
Social infrastructure
– Focus on online learning
– Invest in fibre optics, and devices to prioritise internet for all
– Merit-based teacher hiring
– Shifting the policy focus away from brick and mortar to quality education
– Allocate 10% of PSDP annually to research
– Job market relevant curriculum
– Use of technology for better delivery of social services
– Incorporate health as a right in the constitution
– Police force must be brought under the local government
Changing the population paradigm
– Instead of focussing just on numbers, improve the quality of skills, education, health, and employment of
existing population.
Building a cohesive, community and society
– Local government for community development
– Build community infrastructure and organise community associations and events
– Organise hobby clubs, game competitions and festivals
– Develop a good childhood policy
