Live and Let Live
Freedom
Democracy Justice
Shaukat Baloch, M.A.L.L.B. Advocate, Certificate Paris University, France ______________________President______________________
PUNJAB DEMOCRATIC FRONT
MANIFESTO
Punjab is in danger from the theo-fascist army generals and politicians. The theo-fascist politicians come mainly from the provinces of Pakhtunkhwah and Balochistan. Huge Pakistan army, through its secret service ISI ( Inter-services Intelligence), has created, patronised, trained and financed the extremist & fundamentalist politicians and organisations. Army has always disrupted the democratic process by imposing military rule. The high-handedness by the civil bureaucracy and the persecution by the ISI and the army, whose majority comes from Punjab, has created an ill will among the people of the smaller provinces against the people of Punjab who themselves are the victims at the hands of the civil bureaucracy, the ISI and the army.
Hard working and liberal people of Punjab are suffering from various social problems like unemployment, poverty, disease, inflation, corruption, robberies and dacoities due to lack of economic resources. The reason for this is that more than 60 % of the annual income of the country is spent on the maintenance of the armed forces. These huge armed forces are now needed only to suppress the people of the smaller provinces so as to keep them in Pakistan against their will. The main aim of Punjab Democratic Front is to get rid of the theo-fascist politicians, the huge army and its theo-fascist generals. This is only possible if Pakistan is divided into five independent countries of Punjab, Sindh, Pakhtunkhwah, Balochistan and Kashmir. The new smaller country of Punjab will not need a huge army and the smaller army will not interfere in the democratic process of the country of Punjab.
Aims and Objects
1. Punjab will be an independent, non-nuclear, country. All the people will have complete freedom of religion, thought and expression.
2. Punjab will be a welfare state and will be responsible for the safety of the life & property and the basic needs of the people.
3. Punjab will be divided into three provinces:
Lahore Province, Pothwar Province and Saraiki Province. The Provincial Assemblies will have the right to change these names.
4. Punjab Democratic Front will struggle to achieve its aims and objects only through democratic and peaceful means.
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Elections
1. Elections will be held on the basis of a joint electorate, for the voters of all the religions.
2. To make a sect or a religion as an issue in an election campaign will amount to a disqualification for participation in elections.
3. Tenure of the National and Provincial Assemblies, and the Local Councils will be four years. Tenure of the Senate will be six years, with one third of the members being elected every three years.
4. Every citizen of the age of eighteen years or above will be entitled to vote and every voter of twenty one years or above will be entitled to participate in the elections as a candidate to be elected as a member of the National and Provincial Assemblies, the Senate and the Local Councils.
5. The minimum qualification for a candidate in any of the elections above-said will be B.A. or B.Sc.
6. There will be a parliamentary form of government with a balance of powers between the President and the Prime Minister.
7. The first elected National Assembly of Punjab will draft the new Constitution.
Jobs
1. Every citizen, male or female, will be provided with a job. Persons without a job will be paid an unemployment allowance every month, sufficient to meet their basic needs.
2. Unemployed graduates will be given a loan for self-employed jobs.
3. Unemployed Ph.Ds will be given an allowance so that they can live respectably.
Senior Citizens
1. Senior citizens above the age of 65 will be given old-age pension.
2. Houses for the senior citizens will be built where they will be provided with free lodging, boarding and medical care.
Education
1. Twenty per cent of the national income will be allocated to education, in the annual budget.
2. Education up to matriculation, for boys and girls will be free and compulsory.
3. Girls coming from rural areas, who cannot afford, will get free education up to B.A. / B.Sc. level.
4. Evening schools and colleges will be opened for the benefit of students who are on their jobs in the morning and to reduce the excessive number of students in the morning classes in the buildings of government schools and colleges.
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5. A Ph.D. Association will be formed by the Central Ministry of Education. All the Ph.Ds living in Punjab and Punjabi Ph.Ds living abroad will be invited to become its members. This Association will make recommendations for education reforms.
6. Donations made for the promotion of science and education will be exempt from income tax.
Industry, Trade and Commerce
1. Foreign investors will be given safeguards for the security of their capital and profits.
2. Electricity will be produced in a large quantity by constructing small dams on canals, rivers and from solar energy, sufficient for the needs of the present and the future industry.
Agriculture
1. Farmers and land owners will be free to sell their crops in the open market on the prices fixed by them. The government will not compel them to sell their crops or grains at a price fixed by the government.
2. Farmers and land owners will be provided fertilisers and pesticides at low prices.
3. Special attention will be given to agro-industry.
4. All the land record will be transferred on computers. Minimum qualification for the new patwaris will be B.A. / B.Sc.
Health
1. Every citizen will be medically insured. Government will pay the premium of the medical insurance for the unemployed persons.
2. Donations made to sports and health will be exempt from income tax. More play grounds and parks will be made available to the people.
3. Clean drinking water will be made available in all the towns, cities and villages where it is not available, at present.
Police
1. Minimum qualification for a new employee as a constable will be B.A. / B.Sc. and for an Assistant Sub-Inspector, LL.B.
2. Salaries of the police employees will be doubled.
3. Posts like S.P. and SHO will be filled only on the basis of seniority and honesty.
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Army
1. Minimum qualification for all the employees of the armed forces will be B.A. / B.Sc. After recruitment, future officers will be given a further education and training for three years and other ranks for one year.
2. After the independence of Punjab, no employee of the armed forces or police will be retired pre-maturely. Number of the armed forces and the police will be reduced only by postponing fresh recruitments till necessary.
3. Personnel belonging to the Armed Forces will be invited to participate and read papers, in the seminars held at the Art & Culture Centres.
Overseas Punjabis
1. A Punjabi settled abroad will be appointed as a minister for overseas Punjabis.
2. Overseas Punjabis who will send foreign currency to their country, will be paid in Punjab in foreign currency, and in rupees on open market rates.
3. There will be no restriction on the opening and operation of the foreign currency accounts.
4. Five years exemption from income tax will be given to the overseas Punjabis who will invest foreign exchange in industry in Punjab.
5.Overseas Punjabis will be exempt from income tax on the bonds in foreign exchange sold by the government.
Foreign Relations
1. Punjab will be a neutral country.
2. Punjab will have friendly relations with all the countries of the world and close relations with the members of SAARC.
3. To spread hatred against any foreign country, nation or race will be unlawful.
Environment
1. Cutting of trees for commercial purposes will be stopped.
2. Existing nuclear plants for the production of electricity will be closed when sufficient electricity is available from hydro and solar energy. 3. Solar energy will be produced in the maximum possible quantity.
4. Modern equipments will be installed in the factories to eliminate pollution.
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5. Owners buying vehicles run by solar and electric energy will be refunded ten per cent of the cost price, by the government.
6. All the trains, and where possible, government buses in the cities, will be run by electricity.
7. Bringing of the smoke-emitting vehicles on roads will be strictly prohibited.
Art and Culture
1. Art and Culture Centres will set up at Town Committee, Municipal Committee and Corporation level where, apart from cultural activities, seminars will be held, among others, on the subject of importance and safeguard of democracy and individual liberty.
2. Donations made to Art and Culture Centres will be exempt from income tax.
Provincial Autonomy
1. Centre will deal only with foreign affairs, currency and defense. All other subjects will remain with the provinces exclusively.
2. No central law shall be applicable in any province until it is approved by a majority of the members of the provincial assembly.
3. Any province will have the right to secede if it is so decided by a majority of the registered voters of the province through a referendum.
Defense Budget
1. Each provincial assembly will separately allocate funds for defense in its annual budget, of its own free will. Central government or the national assembly will not allocate any funds in the annual budget for defense.
2. Funds spent by the armed forces will be subject to examination by the Auditor General appointed by the President. Copies of the annual audit report will be sent to the members of the national and provincial assemblies.
November7,2001
(Published by Punjab Democratic Front, Switzerland)
Address: Shaukat Baloch, Advocate, Kaegenhofweg 2, 4153 Reinach BL, Switzerland
E-mail: blochch@yahoo.com
Tel: +41 79 273 47 53
