ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday announced the party manifesto for the 2018 general elections, ARY News reported.

Addressing media in the capital, the PPP chief said his party’s manifesto for upcoming polls promises to positively engage with the world and address internal challenges.

Bilawal Bhutto maintained that he will fulfill the dream of his mother late Benazir Bhutto by making his country a progressive and peaceful state with equal opportunities and rights for all its people.

Hunger Alleviation programme

PPP chief said that his party will alleviate hunger, thirst and despair and will start a ‘Bhook Mitao’ (hunger alleviation programme) when it comes to power.

“We feel that it is the responsibility of the government to protect its citizens not only from foreign aggression and internal violence, but also from poverty, hunger, malnutrition, disease, unemployment, and hazardous work and environmental conditions,” he said.

Bilawal vowed that his will strengthen democracy, and national institutions which have been destroyed will be strengthened. Furthermore, relations with Muslim countries will also be improved and diplomatic and international relations will also be strengthened.

Foreign Policy

“Foreign policy will be revived,” he said adding that efforts will be made for a more robust defence policy as well to give Pakistan its due status in the world.

“Despite all its sacrifices in the struggle against terrorism, the country remains isolated in the global community, unable to project a positive image. This drift must stop. We must get the government on a track that is modeled on serving the people,” the PPP chief said.

“Pakistan is indebted and isolated at the international stage. No one is willing to listen to our point of view,” he said adding PML-N government worked with no foreign minister for several years.

He said the PPP made several reforms in the last tenure, and will continue struggle in South Punjab, make efforts for implementation of FATA merger, and will hold simultaneous elections in Gilgit-Baltistan as the rest of the country.

NAP deemed ineffective by PML-N

He said the National Action Plan was deemed ineffective by the PML-N and the parliament was not informed of the major challenges facing the nation. He said the PPP always took parliament into confidence and even confronted the United States after the Salala incident.

Maintaining that only the PPP can restore the lost glory and respect of the nation, Bilawal said that world needs to appreciate the sacrifices rendered by Pakistan against terrorism.

“During PML-N tenure, people neither got cheap electricity or petrol,” he said adding they suffered two devastating floods.

Bilawal said Pakistan was an agricultural country and there was need to give importance to the sector as forty percent population was dependent on it. The country has also seen reduction of 150 industrial units and needs further industrial growth.

“A revolutionary agriculture program is part of our manifesto. Without an agricultural revolution it is impossible for a economic revolution,” he said adding that labourers and peasants are the backbone of the economy.

Of Reforms and Services

Bilawal maintained that PPP, during its five-year term brought reforms that were discontinued leaving Pakistan institutionally paralysed.

“We, the Pakistan Peoples Party, steered the first generation of constitutional, political, fiscal, institutional and social protection reforms in 2008-2013 aimed at consolidating democracy and strengthening the federation. The 18th constitutional amendment, the 7th National Finance Commission Award, the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment Order, and the establishment of the Benazir Income Support Programme are historic achievements. The momentum generated by these reforms was lost and needs to be recovered,” said the PPP chief.

He added that “much more needs to be done” as the party will embark upon a second generation of reforms if it comes to power.

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