ISLAMABAD - Pakistan People’s Party on Saturday issued a ‘white paper’ on the performance of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led federal government in its first 100 days calling it the ‘most opaque.’

In their 100-day plan, the PPP white paper said, the PTI promised the most transparent government ever. “So far the government is opaque and even shady. Transparency in governance is best achieved through oversight. The best oversight institution is the Parliament which the present government has rendered ineffective as no committees are notified,” said the PPP.

Further, it said, the PTI government has not ‘informed us how Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan’s case has been dealt with. No information has been released on the various visits abroad of the Prime Minister who has not bothered to come to the Parliament in these three months’.

Before 2018 elections, the PPP said, the PTI created much hype around its 100-day plan, drawing up charts and power point presentations to lay down a vast, ambitious but equally ambiguous agenda for its first 100 days in government.

“In this plan, the PTI promised transformation of governance, strengthening federation and revitalising the economy. They promised a revolution in the social services, and they promised to ensure national security,” said the PPP.

More specifically, it said, the party had promised to strengthen federation by creating the South Punjab province, a mega development package for the erstwhile Fata and a development package for Karachi.

“The government promised to revitalise the economy by an economic package which included creation of 10 million jobs, and building 5 million houses, besides promotion of manufacturing sector and medium and small enterprises, and tourism by identifying 4 tourist destinations,” reminded the PPP.

The PTI reneged or conveniently U-turned on their promises, whether it is economic pledges, political positions, governance reforms, or foreign policy commitments, which is hardly surprising. We consider that their 100-day plan was nothing but an electoral gimmick and that is what it has become, as 100 days are over, as little of their agenda stands implemented, it said.

“Hundred days later, this 100-day plan has become an object of mockery and joke making, as few in the country are taking it seriously, while the PTI is trapped in its own statements and words and have announced to launch yet another progress report which PPP considers nothing but a ‘cover-up’ of the 100 days of U-turns, pure lies, and deception,” reads the white paper.

In fact, it said, the PTI ‘not only that they have backtracked on their words and promises, none other than the party leader stated that this is a sign of leadership to make U turns. This is not only a confession of their lack of conviction, it is an admission of their inability to make decisions they believe in’.

The party said: “We feel the country is being run by a ‘selected’ Prime Minister and his ‘selected’ cabinet which is making the poor people of this country go through political somersaults. Having no answers to our questions, PTI cabinet members contradict one another; PTI spokespersons are often abusive and aggressive.”

The PPP alleged that the accountability process was misused by the government to victimise the political opponents.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, the PPP said, promised to give weekly answers in the Parliament in Prime Minister’s Question Time. “However, not only has he not responded to questions; he has hardly made any appearances in the Parliament. The opposition has demanded that he come and speak in the house on his various visits abroad, but he has adamantly stayed away from the sessions, preferring instead to restrict his appearances before television cameras in edited and televised addresses,” added the white paper. The government has also yet to make any laws in the first 100 days, it said.

In addition, the PPP said, by denying opposition leader his right to take the charge of Public Accounts Committee – as has been the tradition during the past two successive governments – the government was only showing its insecurity and short-sightedness.

This stubborn position has also been instrumental in stalling of Parliamentary work and formation of the committees, it said.

Criticising the government’s anti-encroachment plan, the PPP said that the authorities brought down hundreds of buildings in Islamabad and Punjab; yet when it came to Bani Gala, there was an offer for regularisation of the property.

The PTI government, the party said, had given no roadmap for the local bodies’ election.

The PPP recalled that one of the longstanding commitments of the PTI was to reform the police system by instituting independent policing making it free from political influence but there were no result.

The PPP said that for years, the PTI criticised ‘lavish’ protocol by governments in power and promised that they would follow simplicity when in office. “But once in power apart from a few antics, the people witnessed the same traffic blocks, long queues of cars, and long waits on roads of PTI government,” it said.

The government, the PPP said, promised South Punjab province, Fata merger where they promised integration, legislation and launching of a development plan, a reconciliation process in Balochistan, a Karachi package and an anti-poverty drive in the poorest districts of Pakistan but no promise was fulfilled.

The PPP claimed that the 100-day plan was promised by PM Imran Khan to lead the change and agenda of reform. “But the mantra of tabdeeli (change) was short-changed and tabdeeli has only become a hoax within which the PTI has indulged in politics of gimmickry and expediency”.

It said: “This change now is symbolised by trespassing cows, buffalo auctions, and PM’s dog riding the helicopter. Prime Minister has not just been seen to not lead any change; he has been seen to enjoy the trappings of power – the helicopter rides, changing the cops, and ostentatious foreign visits.

A Prime Minister who justifies his policy reversals as a good quality has to be pitied, for policy reversals more often than not are signs of weak conviction, and weaker will.”