PPPP Election manifesto

Radio Pakistan

PPP-Parliamentarians has announced its election manifesto with special focus on a 7-point agenda pledging to fulfill basic needs of the poor folk. The manifesto was released by the party President Makhdoom Amin Fahim at a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday evening. Former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani‚ Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira‚ Minister for Defence Naveed Qamar and Minister of State for Information Syed Sumsam Bukhari were also present on the occasion. The manifesto pledges to increase minimum wage to 18‚000 rupees per month by 2018 and enhance cash monthly grant under Benazir Income Support Programme from 1000 to 2000 rupees. The manifesto pledges to create of a new province in South Punjab through necessary constitutional measures. It further pledges that under the new NFC Award‚ Sindh will get special grant for Karachi‚ being mega port and economic hub of the country. A mother and childcare programme would be launched to ensure healthcare for them through vouchers and cash transfers. The manifesto commits to eradicate polio by 2018 and taking its coverage to 100 percent. Enhanced security cover would be provided to health workers. As per Constitutional requirements‚ the manifesto promises universal primary enrolment by 2018 and 10‚000 higher education and technical vocation scholarships for FATA and Balochistan. Labour representatives will get 4 seats in National Assembly and 2 seats in each Provincial Assembly through legislation. There will be renewed focus on housing and the poor will be given priority for low cost housing schemes to be launched through public-private partnership. The party proposes to launch a youth employment initiative called 'Peoples Employment Programme'. Farmers will be supported by charging flat rate for electricity for tube wells and providing cheaper inputs. Special Economic Zones would be established to promote industrialization and create job opportunities. The manifesto also pledges addition of 12‚000 MW of cheaper electricity by way of hydel‚ coal‚ gas and renewable energy by the end of next term of the Government. National Commission on Minorities will be given statutory status and religious properties would be given protection. The manifesto committed to build city-to-town and farm-to-market roads through public-private partnership. It said the Party will ensure sustainable and responsible use of national resources to protect environment and provide water security through efficient water resource management. The manifesto proposed 7 core priorities that will protect and empower the people of Pakistan. The party will initiate key programme in first 100 days at the federal and provincial levels to implement these core priorities. These priorities include ensuring basic needs‚ empowerment of all citizens‚ equitable and inclusive growth‚ infrastructure for the future. Answering a question‚ Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said the present government has implemented more than 85 percent of its previous Party manifesto and Charter of Democracy. He described it as a big achievement. To a question‚ Information Minister said the prudent policies of the government gave food security to the country. He said the government provided jobs to hundreds of people and regularised the services of contract and daily wages employees. Syed Naveed Qamar to a question said the PPP government gave shares to the workers in the privatization process.

Following is the text of "Core Priorities" of the PPPP Manifesto:

"Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians: Towards a progressive‚just and progressive Pakistan" "Roti‚Kapra aur Makan‚ Ilm‚Sehat sab ko Kaam‚Dehshat Sey Mehfooz Awam‚ Ooncha Ho Jamhoor Ka Naam". This nation faced a grave crisis five years ago when Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was assassinated by enemies of Pakistan and democracy. Five years later‚ the PPP have laid foundations for a sustainable ‚accountable and robust democracy in Pakistan. As we take Pakistan into its first constitutional transfer of power through elections‚we resolve to take Pakistan into a future based on social justice‚ peace and prosperity for all. The PPPP manifesto stated that during our term "we preserved and strengthened the federation by building a new social contract between the provinces and the centre. We build consensus and reconciliation to strengthened the democratic system. For the first time in history‚ the President‚ Asif Ali Zardari‚ voluntarily gave away his own powers to the head of Parliament‚ empowering the people and the parliament." The PPPP-led government freed all political prisoners‚ including judges and instead of pursuing the politics of revenge‚ pursued politics of reconciliation. We gave Pakistan its first non-partisan‚ non-politicized social safety net for the poor and vulnerable. Despite hardship of conflict and violence and the full brunt of natural disasters that killed our people‚ swamped our crop‚ our homes and our livestock‚ we resettled a record number of people‚ in the millions‚ stricken by conflict and disaster. We put the agricultural sector back on its feet and made Pakistan a wheat exporter again. From the bubble economy we inherited‚ based on consumer credit‚ stock market speculation‚ property markups‚ non-transparent privatization‚ zero investment in energy security and inflation in double digits‚ that exposed the people to local and international shocks‚ we brought down inflation to single digits‚ built up Pakistan's exports to unprecedented levels‚ and attracted the highest flow of remittances in Pakistan's history. Our manifesto is based on ground realities in Pakistan. We make no promises for which we cannot find resources. We believe that national security is premised on human security first. Anyone governing Pakistan in the next ten years of a global recession and regional security upheavals will also have to make tough fiscal‚ economic‚ security and governance decisions.