Promises made: PML-F promises to wipe out no-go areas

Party vows to give provincial status to Bahawalpur.

KARACHI: If it is elected into power, the Pakistan Muslim League - Functional (PML-F) will remove all no-go areas in Karachi and establish Citizens-Police Liaison Committees across the province.

The party unveiled its election manifesto on Tuesday and unfurled a series of promises - from minority rights and education to youth development and environment. Party leaders Imtiaz Sheikh, Muzaffar Hussain Shah, Muhammad Ali Durrani and others announced their manifesto at a joint press conference on Tuesday.

The PML-F promised that they will integrate the spirit of Pakistan - sectarian differences, regional biases, differences in language, colour and cast. Bahawalpur will be given its rightful provincial status, and Sindhi and other languages will be elevated to the status of national languages.

The party also promised to double minimum wages and link the salaries of government officers to the inflation rate. All children will receive free education up till Intermediate. The leaders added that students who pass their Intermediate exam with an A grade will be awarded tablet PCs.

Quota systems for students from rural Sindh will be eliminated and the PML-F will make the Higher Education Commission an independent organisation once again after ensuring that all provinces have equal representation. The budget for education will be increased from two to six per cent.

Free health facilities will be provided to people above the age of 65 years to address and the quota for disabled people will be increased to three per cent. The health budget will be increased to six per cent and basic health units will be set up at taluka level. The PML-F will ensure that admissions to medical colleges are done purely on merit, and self-finance schemes will be removed so that a maximum number of deserving students are able to gain admissions.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2013.