Was there a ‘unique selling point’ in the Economic Agenda of PTI
A Comparative Study of Election Manifestos of leading political parties in Pakistan
Keywords:
PTI,, Election Manifesto,, Pakistani election,, Political parties,, USP,Abstract
This study examines Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) claim of presenting a distinct economic agenda in the 2018 elections under the slogan Naya Pakistan. A comparative content analysis of the manifestos of PTI, PML-N and PPPP is conducted across nine themes: economic growth, employment, trade, taxation, energy, debt, industrial sector, agriculture, and state-owned enterprises. Using qualitative and quantitative techniques, the study evaluates the salience and specificity of policy pledges. Findings show that PTI dedicated the largest proportion of its manifesto (22.9%) to economic issues; however, substantial thematic overlap exists across all parties. Instead of proposing ideologically divergent policies, parties mainly varied in the degree of emphasis placed on particular issues. The analysis concludes that PTI’s agenda was comprehensive but not uniquely different from its rivals.
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