Manifesto Unveiled: PPP vows to increase minimum wage

The manifesto pledges to create a new province in South Punjab through necessary constitutional measures.

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Peoples Party-Parliamen-tarians on Thursday revealed its election manifesto with special focus on a seven-point agenda pledging to fulfill the basic needs of the country’s poor.

The manifesto was released by the party president Makhdoom Amin Fahim at a press conference here on Thursday.

Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Defence Minister Naveed Qamar and Minister of State for Information Sumsam Bukhari were also present on the occasion.

The manifesto pledges to increase minimum wage to Rs18,000 per month by 2018 and enhance the monthly cash grant under the Benazir Income Support Programme from Rs1,000 to Rs2000.

The manifesto also pledges to create a new province in South Punjab through necessary constitutional measures.

Furthermore, the manifesto promises that Sindh will be provided a special grant from Karachi, under the new NFC Award. A mother and child care programme would be launched to provide health care.

The manifesto also commits to eradicate polio by 2018 and taking its coverage to 100%.

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 four seats in the National Assembly and two seats in each Provincial Assembly through legislation.

According to the manifesto, 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 a flat rate for electricity for tube wells and providing cheaper agri-inputs. Special Economic Zones would be established to promote industrialisation and create job opportunities.

Furthermore, the manifesto also pledges addition of 12,000MW of cheaper electricity through hydel, coal, gas and renewable energy by the end of the next term of the government.  The National Commission on Minorities will be given statutory status and religious properties would be given protection.

The nation, it said, faced a grave crisis five years ago when former premier Benazir Bhutto was assassinated by ‘enemies’ of Pakistan. It said that after five years, the PPP laid foundations for a sustainable, accountable and robust democracy in Pakistan.

The PPPP manifesto expresses the resolve to take Pakistan into a future based on social justice, peace and prosperity for all.


Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2013.