SHAHEED BENAZIRABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday vowed to abolish 17 federal ministries if his party is elected into power to save taxpayers’ “Rs300 billion”.
Addressing the annual function of Bakhtawar Cadet College for Women, Bilawal said the 17 federal ministries should have been devolved to provinces after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the Geo News reported.
He said Rs300 billion was spent on these ministries which is a needless burden on the federal government. The 18th Constitutional Amendment in 2010 devolved multiple federal ministries and powers to provinces and granted financial autonomy to the provinces. It also divested the president of all his executive authority and made him a ceremonial head of the state.
Bilawal said his party would also do away with the Rs1,500 billion subsidy given to elites in various sectors including energy, fertiliser and provide those funds to labourers and farmers through cards, he said. Describing youth as the country’s future, the PPP chief said as the foreign minister he took measures to provide youth with overseas jobs and also pledged to provide them with employment opportunities abroad.
Referring to the PPP’s slogan of “roti, kapra aur maqaan” (bread, clothes, and house), Bilawal said that the people in the past may not have needed these basic necessities as much as they needed them today.“10 years ago a family could make both ends meet in Rs35,000 salary, but in the current economic situation a family needs Rs70,000 salary [per month],” he added. Bilawal said the incoming government should take the responsibility of doubling the salary in five years to match the inflation.
Bilawal said if the PPP came into power, they would introduce the Haari Card for farmers, the Mazdoor Card for labourers and the Nojawan Card for youth. Through Haari Card, farmers would be given subsidies instead of mill owners, he added. “Through the Youth Card, we will give financial assistance to the youth searching for a job,” he said. Terming the traditional politics of senior politicians as a thing of the past, he said the serious challenges confronting the country including those of economy, growing population and climate change could be resolved by burying the politics of “hatred and division.” He said “We will turn our difficulties into opportunities. Problems can be solved by working together and utilizing the country’s resources.”
In a related development, former President Asif Ali Zardari said the PTI came to power in 2018 without hard work, now they should work hard to win the election. Zardari was talking to journalists after submitting his nomination papers at the office of the Returning Office NA 207 of Nawabshah.
The PPPP chairman said the Chief Justice has said that the elections will definitely held on February 8 and his party is fully geared up for them. Zardari said that he is hopeful to form the next government in the centre and the provinces and in that case the prime minister will be from the PPP.