PPP unveils 10-point agenda as electioneering picks pace

Days after the Election Commission of Pakistan announced the much-awaited schedule for the elections, slated for February 8, 2024, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari kicked off the party's election campaign by revealing a 10-point agenda.

Speaking to party workers at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh on the 16th death anniversary of former premier Benazir Bhutto, the PPP chairman elaborated on his party's policy roadmap for the upcoming elections which is to focus on the health and education sector along with poverty alleviation measures coupled with steps to address rampant unemployment.

Pledging to introduce policies that prioritise people's welfare, Bilawal announced a 10-point agenda, which his party is to enforce if they are voted into power by the people in the upcoming polls.

Here's a breakdown of what Bilawal promised his party would do if they came into power.

• Double the salaries within five years
• Free solar energy of 300 units for the poor; every district to have green energy parks
• Education for all — rolling out projects for better education
• Free health for all across Pakistan
• Three million houses for flood affectees and the poor
• Expand BISP’s scope; introducing more welfare schemes
• BSIP-like programme for farmers and ‘Hari Card’
• Enhanced support for labourers through Benazir Mazdoor Card
• ‘Youth Card’ for unemployed youth and ‘Youth Markaz’
• ‘Bhook Mitao Programme’

Apart from promising major policy reforms, the PPP chief, without taking any names, fired a fresh salvo against political opponent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) questioning whether Punjab's capital has no option other than having the same person "installed" for the fourth time.

Bilawal said that there are those who are relying on "others" for the upcoming polls, in the same manner they had done so in the past.

Reiterating his resolve to contest the elections regardless of the challenges, the PPP chairman said that he would face his political opponents in Lahore.

"I had told my team that I wanted to contest from Lahore. I’ll take the battle to Lahore. Let’s see what happens," he said.

"Is it Lahore’s destiny that the same person will be installed for the fourth time?" Bilawal said while taking a jibe at the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, who is eying a record-fourth term as the country's prime minister.

"Our paths are different with that of those we were in government for 16 months," Bilawal said while referring to the PML-N-led Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government of which the PPP was a key part.

The PPP chief assured of giving "a befitting response" to their opponents in Lahore in the polls.

On the issue of the party's candidacy for the prime ministership, Bilawal said that he would seek the support of PPP and Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) — headed by his father Asif Ali Zardari — for contesting the polls as the party's candidate for the prime ministership.

His remarks come as last month, Zardari — during an interview with Hamid Mir on Geo News’ programme “Capital Talk” had termed his son as "inexperienced" saying that as the head of the PPPP, he had the authority to issue party tickets to candidates, including Bilawal — comments which fuelled rumours of a rift between the father-son duo.

Later, PPP Central Secretary Information Faisal Karim Kundi reassured that Bilawal remains the party's candidate for the top executive post.