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A RETURN TO HISTORY
Once again, the popularly elected governments and assemblies have
been dissolved without being allowed to fulfill the people's mandate
and to complete their constitutional term. This is the fourth dissolution
since 1988 and the fifth since 1977 alone. It is the third time
that the Peoples Government has been undemocatically removed because
it cannot be combated politically. The Eighth Amendment imposed
on the Constitution of 1973 by a hated military dictator has negated
the will of the people. Tragically it has been done by a President
elected on the solemn pledge not to dissolve the assemblies or to
allow the Presidency to become a den of conspiracies against the
federal parliamentary system and the people of Pakistan. This demonstrates
that the power of the 8th Amendment is so seductive that a man can
break a twenty year belief in the power of the people to determine
their own destiny.
The will of the people has been aborted and the right of franchise
has become a joke; the supremacy of Parliament has been undermined
by an autocratic system with a penchant to keep civil society as
its hapless subject. The principles of government and accountability
by the people are negated in one way or another - through Ayub Khan's
to General Zia's prolonged martial law, through the office of the
Governor General to the President of the Eighth Amendment and through
EBDO and PRODA to the discriminatory Ehtesab Ordinance. In the quasi-democratic
existence of Pakistan, 54 elected National and Provincial assemblies
have been dissolved before they could complete their tenure, and
all 13 Prime Ministers have been prematurely and arbitrarily removed
from office. In all this half the country was lost.
Since the fifties dictators, military and civilian, have used alleged
corruption as a tool to discredit and defame Parliaments and parliamentarians
and as the ground to throw out popular elected assemblies. In the
case of the Peoples Government the same allegations have been used.
But it is a fact, that dictatorship has given birth to the major
incidence of corruption in the country, and it is perhaps not coincidental
that the Peoples Government was dismissed soon after presenting
an across the board accountability bill and list of main loan defaulters
before the National Assembly.
Despite a protracted struggle by the valiant people of Pakistan
to determine their own fortune, both the state and society, in this
our Golden Jubilee year, are marked by the absence of a viable political
system. The British have left, but the colonial thought processes
left behind by them continue to hamper the nation's march towards
a libertarian, egalitarian, moderate, progressive and, above all,
a federal, democratic, parliamentary and non-discriminatory polity,
as perceived by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
The November 5 Dissolution Order has caused a grave crisis by subverting
the all-enveloping progress made by the Peoples Government in: attracting
unprecedented foreign investment, developing energy and physical
infrastructure, improving and expanding social services for human
resource development and poverty eradication, undertaking courageous
macro-economic and structural reforms, reducing fiscal deficit by
over three per cent, withdrawing tax exemptions from incomes, restoring
peace in Karachi, destroying terrorist's and drug Mafia's sanctuaries,
reviving Pakistan's important position in international forums,
restoring crucial Pak-US relations, placing the Kashmir issue at
the centre-stage of world diplomacy, pre-empting a unilateral nuclear
roll-back, taking on the corrupt by bringing a constitutional amendment
bill for across-the-board accountability, revealing and taking to
task the defaulters, and, finally, moving towards striking down
the 8th Amendment to re-establish the supremacy and the continuity
of Parliament.
The world has swiftly and fundamentally changed at all levels, but
the people of Pakistan are not being allowed to break the shackles
of obscurantist, fundamentalist, authoritarian and archaic feudal/tribal/ethnic/sectarian
ideologies. The road to progress continues to be hampered by a four-D
trap of debt-demography-dictatorship-dehumanization.
THE TASK
The Pakistan Peoples Party has never shirked from the tasks or the
responsibilities given to it by the people of Pakistan. It has tried
its utmost to perform its historic duties on both foreign and domestic
fronts. However, it is pertinent to recall that the People's Government
inherited seven onerous legacies from General Zia and his surrogates:
First, the supremacy of Parliament was handicapped by the 8th Amendment;
Second, Pakistan was about to be placed on the list of states sponsoring
terrorism and drug trafficking since it had become a nursery of
extremists and a sanctuary for terrorists of all hues, drug traffickers
and kalashnikov culture. The very security of the state was endangered;
Third, fiscal mismanagement with the deficit climbing to over eight
percent of GDP officially (nine and a half percent unofficially),
plunder of financial sector by defaulters, spending beyond our means
on non-productive areas, heavy bank-borrowings and an absolute reliance
on foreign aid/loans had brought the country to the verge of insolvency
and into a vicious debt-trap situation with the fiscal deficit and
bank borrowings climbing to crisis proportions, leaving nothing
to invest in human resources and infrastructure; there was a negative
growth rate after taking into account the population increase and
foreign exchange reserves had spiralled down to $ 300 million.;
Fourth, a neglect of physical infrastructure had resulted in massive
load-shedding and a lack of investment in social sectors had led
to the deterioration of human resources, increase in poverty and
pauperization;
Fifth, a state of ethnic fascism was created within the state jeopardizing
law and order in the largest city of the country and putting the
integrity of Sindh and the Federation at great risk;
Sixth, due to the negation of all democratic institutions under
prolonged martial law, the balance of power had shifted in favour
of the proponents of the 8th Amendment and an autocratic establishment
at the cost of the directly elected chief executive, negating the
sovereignty of the legislature in a supposed trichotomy of power;
Seventh, negation of universally recognized human rights especially
with regard to minorities, women, children had become the order
of the day.
THE AGENDA
After obtaining a popular mandate for its 'Agenda for Change', the
party adopted a seven-pronged strategy to rid the country of the
devastation caused by General Zia's and his political successor's
mis-rule:
First, after being elected on a commitment to the principle of supremacy
of parliament and the federal parliamentary system, it continued
to offer the opposition a constitutional package on the common points
in the manifestos of the two mainstream parties, including the repeal
of the 8th Amendment, restoration of the women's reserved seats,
bringing the minorities into the mainstream, creating an independent
Election Commission and modern electoral laws. However, the opposition
took a thoughtless course of confrontation which did not allow the
treasury benches, lacking the requisite two-thirds majority, to
implement its constitutional package. The National Assembly were
arbitrarily dissolved before it could scrap the 8th Amendment and
introduce wide ranging electoral reform and pass the Constitution
(Fifteenth Amendment) Bill, 1996, for an across-the-board accountability
and the Provincial Assemblies were desolved before they could, as
the popularly elected electoral college, legitimately elect half
of the Senate in March, 1997;
Second, by portraying a moderate, democratic and progressive image
of Pakistan, on the one hand, and launching a crusade against extremists,
terrorists and the drug mafia, on the other, the PPP-led government
won the support of democratic forces all over the world and averted
the danger of being declared a rogue state. The Pressler Amendment
was replaced with the Brown Amendment, held-up defence equipment
was released and the Clinton administration pledged to return the
money paid for the F-16s. The Kashmir dispute was brought back on
the international agenda with the US showing its willingness to
mediate, the OIC passed a unanimous resolution and the All Parties
Hurriyat Conference representatives attended the various Contact
Group meetings. The Peoples Government took a lead in breaking new
ground in international diplomacy and human initiatives, such as
in the Cairo Conference on Population, Beijing Conference on Women
and Social Summit in Copenhagen, to quote a few;
Third, it took a courageous road to implement the Structural Adjustment
Programme, it revived fiscal discipline, brought down the fiscal
deficit by over three per cent, increased revenues, improved the
balance of payments situation, increased investment and growth,
expedited privatization in a transparent manner, invested in infrastructure,
human resources and retired debt, moved from presumptive taxes to
VAT and taxes on consumption (GST). The budget deficit was brought
down by over three per cent from over 8%, growth was revived to
6.12% from 2.4%, inflation was kept under control and was expected
to further decelerate, for the first time debt was retired, actual
on ground record foreign investment of over US$ 3 billion took place,
while pledges for another $22 billion were received. The IMF agreed
to revive the Standby Arrangement, to provide balance of payments'
stabilization, beside ESAF, and the World Bank, ADB and the other
donors had agreed to vitalize the financial sector and fund the
Social Action Programme (SAP).
In all this the Peoples Government acted as a dam against the tough
conditionalities agreed to by Mr. Moin Qureshi as a consequence
of PML-N's disastrous financial performance. The PPP Government
took steps to protect and shield the people from the rigours of
those agreements. The Peoples Government dam is no longer there,
and the consequences can be seen and felt by all;
Fourth, the People's Government gave top most priority to neglected
physical and social infrastructure and set the right priorities.
Given a ten to twelve-hour load-shedding and enormous economic losses,
the energy policy for private sector investment succeeded in actually
attracting more than US$ 4 billion to produce over 3200 MW of electricity.
With the completion of the Hubco Power Project and other projects,
load-shedding was to completely end in 1997. In fact, loadsheding
has ended at the time this Manifesto is announced. Beside thermal
power, work on Ghazi Barotha hydel power project has been initiated.
Similarly, highways, transmission lines, pipelines, communication,
Gwadar deep sea port, Keti Bander port, gas and oil fields and refineries
were promoted, planned and/or developed. A massive human resource
development programmes , which included the deployment of 50,000
women health workers, in the area of primary health care and mass
literacy, population welfare, computer education and vocational
training centres, women development and participation, were launched.
Campaigns against illiteracy, population explosion, epidemics, polio
and drug addiction were implemented. The Social Action Programme
focused on the development of basic social services and infrastructures
necessary to eradicate poverty and backwardness. An unprecedented
outlay of $ 8 billion was committed to SAP;
Fifth, the Nawaz Sharif government launched a clean-up operation
by the army in June 1992, but miserably failed to restore law and
order and nab the terrorists since the PML-N was (and continues
to be) in collaboration with the ethnic fascists. The Peoples Government
withdrew the army and appointed an Urdu-speaking governor on MQM-A's
demand, but the terrorists were not ready to abandon the dream of
Jinnahpur or their bloody confrontation. They, rather, intensified
the massacre of innocent people, kidnappings for ransom and unbridled
terrorism. Instead of choosing the political and legal path for
a just political settlement acceptable to all in Sindh, they took
the road of open insurgency through urban guerrilla warfare.
The largest city and major port of Pakistan, the integrity of both
Sindh and the Federation and the life and security of the people
could not be made a hapless hostage to terrorism. Fulfilling its
lawful responsibilities, the People's Government came to the rescue
of the people of Karachi and restored peace. Consequently, as compared
to 2043 persons killed and 2436 injured in 1995, including hundreds
of brave law enforcing personnel, the numbers of killed and injured
drastically came down to 399 and 559 respectively in 1996. Belying
the President's claim of large numbers of extra judicial killings,
the Courts remained open to all to challenge any death in suspicious
circumstances. Given the economic dimension of the crisis, the Federal
Government initiated a Rs.121 billion economic package for Karachi.
The backbone of the terrorists having been broken, unless they receive
a fresh lease of life under the Caretakers and the Co-Federationists,
a situation conducive to a political settlement among different
ethnic communities in Sindh has been created, provided ofcourse
that the political elements in the MQM-A separated from the terrorists,
reciprocate in good faith;
Sixth, though with the return of democracy and the ostensible transfer
of power of the Chief Executive's powers from the President to the
Prime Minister, institutional overlapping continued under the 8th
Amendment at the cost of Parliament and the elected chief executive.
It was during the People's Government that the system of defacto
troika rule came to an end with the revival of the Cabinet's Defense
Committee. Thanks to the interplay of forces in parliamentary democracy,
it was the People's Government which separated the judiciary from
the executive and the March 20 judgement of the Supreme Court was
implemented, despite a Presidential Reference questioning the prerogative
of the Prime Minister in the appointment of judges to the superior
judiciary. This judgement has vindicated the Prime Minister's position
that her/his advice is binding on the President;
Seventh, eradication of marginalisation of women, the minorities
and the poor and discrimination against the vulnerable sections
of society remained one of the main concerns of the Peoples Government.
Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto took a courageous position in the
Cairo conference on Population and Development and Beijing Conference
on Women. New programs of action and agendas were set to empower
women, ensure their participation in all walks of life and to improve
their lot-Muslim Women Parliamentary Conference was held, the CEDAW
was signed by Pakistan, women judges were appointed, a Ministry
for Women Development was created, women police stations were established,
50,000 women health workers were trained for mother and child care,
population planning programme helped bring down growth rate to 2.8
per cent and all-sided efforts were made against gender bias and
to create necessary conditions for a status equal to men. But efforts
to restore the women's reserved seats and strike down some discriminatory
laws were frustrated by the PML-N and their extremist allies.
Similarly, the religious minorities heaved a sigh of relief during
the Peoples Government and steps were taken to safeguard the rights
of the most deprived minorities. A full minister was inducted and
electoral reforms were initiated to bring voters from the minorities
into the mainstream of the electoral process. However, the initiative
was again rejected by PML-N. Misuse of blasphemy laws against the
members of minorities was discouraged. On the contrary the PML-N
joined a broad-based religious front (TTNR) to further strangulate
the minorities in stark contradiction of the humanitarian teachings
of Islam and the liberal guidelines of the Founder of the Nation.
The Peoples Government presided over a very difficult transition
while facing a hostile opposition. Due to the early removal of the
Peoples Government and the dissolution of the assemblies in some
areas, the "Agenda for Change" remained partially unfulfilled,
despite concerted efforts. Yet, despite infinite constraints, a
limited mandate and compulsions of coalition, the Peoples Government
was able to accomplish much in a short period of 36 months. Had
it been allowed to complete its tenure, it would have been in a
much better position to fully implement its 'Agenda for Change'.
On balance, the Peoples Government was able to deliver on major
and vital issues and challenges, such as foreign policy, defense,
investment, energy, physical infrastructures, human resource development,
growth, macro-economic reforms, human rights, peace in Karachi and
flushing out and fighting extremism.
The Peoples Government ministers were barred from taking any loans.
The Peoples Government published the list of defaulters of Rs 130
billion and brought an effective bill against corruption and for
the accountability of all -from PRESIDENT TO PEON- without exception.
But, as in 1990, a smear campaign was launched to destabilize the
government and the President stabbed the democratic process in the
back and made every effort to re-establish a Presidential form of
Government.
THE DANGER TO PAKISTAN
The 8th Amendment is a time bomb ticking in the body politic of
Pakistan. It was placed in the Constitution by a dictator who was
supported by fanaticism and having failed to impose his pseudo Islamic
agenda on the people needed an instrument to repress representative
political forces whenever democracy started to flourish. Gen. Zia
died having had a chance to use the 8th Amendment only once and
although his legacy was defeated in the elections of 1988, the forces
that he nurtured and represented went underground, infiltrating
all sections of society and all institutions, including political
parties. Their agenda is clear. They want a secetarian state. They
believe that only fanactics like them, steeped in their special
sense of Islam, have the right to rule the country. They want military
confrontation with our neighbours. They reorganised, prepared and
in 1990 used the 8th Amendment to remove the Peoples Government.
They rigged the 1990 election. Yousuf Ramzi a known terroist tried
to kill Benazir Bhutto during the 1993 elections when it was obvious
she would lead the Pakistan Peoples Party to victory. When the Peoples
Government was returned to office in 1993, they escalated ethnic
and secretrian violence. When this was put down by the Peoples Government
they tried to overthrow the Peoples Government in 1994 but renowned
social worker Abdus Sattar Edhi revealed the plan. In 1995 there
was the failed "Islamic coup" attempt of Gen. Abbassi.
In 1996 the brother of the Prime Minister was killed to destabalise
the Peoples Government. With the Peoples Government acting decisively
to deal with these fanatics and terrorists by extraditions and by
closing down the bases used by them to export terorism and narcotics
the extremists had to act to remove Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
The 8th Amendment has also provided fertile ground for political
opportunists. Falling prey to the overtures of those forces, who
encouraged the President to believe that he and his batch mates
could run the country better than the elected representatives and
who provided street demonstrations, a media campaign against the
Peoples Government and the death of the Prime Minister's brother
to lay the ground work for the dismissal, the President, reminisent
of Gen. Zia's imposition of martial law, at 2.00 a.m. on November
5, 1996, removed the Peoples Government, dismissed the National
Assembly and placed the elected Prime Minister under prospective
custody. There followed, thereafter, an obcene operation for preparing
the grounds and finding the agents to dissolve the provincial assemblies.
Since the dissolution the President has become the de facto Prime
Minister amending election laws at will, openly organising and encouraging
his own "King's Party", causing the only upright man in
the cabinet to resign, and laying the groundwork for a "hung"
parliament. However, President Leghari is a pawn in the hands of
the extremists and he is being encouraged by them and his own ambitions
to either cancel the elections or have a hung parliament. He thinks
he will be succesful in the February 3 polls by ensuring that candidates
from the major political parties are disqualified. Mr. Nawaz Sharif
, having been protected from disqualification by an adroit and timely
amendment of the election laws, also thinks that he can make gains
in the elections and is oblivious of what is in store for him, his
party and the country. Both are wrong. A delay in elections or a
hung parliament will only cause economic disruption and bring the
political system to the point of collapse. This is exactly what
the extremists want.
In the meanwhile, co-federationist and seccessionists are being
given a free hand. Sectarian violence is stalking the country. There
is talk of shifting the capital of Sindh. The Caretaker Prime Minister
sees no future for Pakistan after 20 years. Will we let the same
thing that happened to East Pakistan happen to us again?
The Pakistan Peoples Party is following the situation closely and
urges other democratic forces to do likewise.
COMPLETING THE AGENDA
The continuation of the "Agenda for Change" for the sustaining
Pakistan, its democratic institutions, for the alleviation of human
misery, despair and for the development of infrastructure and human
resources on a large scale, alongwith structural, electoral, institutional
and constitutional reforms has become vital not only to radically
transform the relationship between the state and society but also
to find a sustainable basis for national security .
Decades of dependence on foreign resources mobilization strategy
has completely arrested the creativity of our people and taken away
from them their right to make collective decisions in matters crucial
to their future. Our people have been depending on local elite and
national bureaucracy for decision making and have been struggling
for devolution of authority to the village and mohalla level. Now
through structural adjustments periodically entered into by successive
caretaker governments, even the elite and national bureaucracy have
forfeited their decision making rights and transferred this authority
to foreign institutions.
The isolation and remoteness of the people of Pakistan and their
elected representatives from the task of shaping their own destiny
is evident from the fact that IMF conditionalities imposed upon
elected governments by successive care taker governments have virtually
acted as the national budgets for successive years, which leave
little if no manoeuvring room for elected governments to implement
the agenda on which they receive the mandate of the people.
Members of a society suppressed by long years of military rule have
lost all perception of their rights. Continuos abuse of power has
created a class, which only believes in privileges. Getting away
with violations of law has become an indicator of respect and influence.
Large scale tax evasion, theft of utilities, default on repayment
of bank loans , misuse of state funds and resources, open embezzlements
are some of the measures through which the affluent consolidate
their wealth and power at the cost of the nation. The bureaucracy,
not answerable to anyone, bought away by the affluent and having
their own large share in the loot of the plunderers, provides them
with the administrative cover to carry on their plunder. All this
breeds dissatisfaction.
Social satisfaction is depleting with growing social disparities.
Distinction between the needs and wants is disappearing fast. Growing
wants of the inessential items is contributing heavily to moral
degradation of all sections of our society. All this is providing
a fertile ground for extremist elements promising an Islamic revolution.
The revolution is the apple of temptation given by Eve to Adam
The state, therefore, has to provide a policy framework, as well
as resources to act through a grand coalition of non-governmental
organisation of the people (specially those belonging to the deprived
section of society), financial institutions, co-operative and decentralized
government agencies working under new norms, so that the weaker
strata of our society are meaningful empowered. It is only through
massive involvement of the people, working hand and hand with the
state apparatus and the remodelling of the latter that the damaging
side effects of open-economy industrialisation can be controlled.
A lasting solution has to be found to get out of a debt-demographic-dictatorship-dehumanization
trap with a debt retirement plan, bringing population growth to
less than two per cent and consolidating democratic governance.
A dynamic balance has to be found between democracy and development,
rural and urban areas, the Federation and the Provinces and the
Provinces and the Districts, authority and accountability. A sustainable
model of development, high rate of savings and investment for a
much needed higher growth rate should help eradicate poverty and
underdevelopment. In the meanwhile, peace in the region and an equal
and collective end to a lethal arms race, accompanied by the just
resolution of disputes, can release tremendous resources to bring
prosperity for the hundreds of million people living below the poverty
line in the sub-continent.
As we enter the new millennium with Asia at its centre-stage with
its vast resources, human and material, markets and ingenuity, the
people of Pakistan are not fated to live in misery, poverty, backwardness,
hatred, conflicts or parochial tensions. There is no basis or reason
to stop the people of our part of Asia from joining the ranks of
the fast developing South East Asian countries in an emerging interdependent
world of co-operating nations.
To reach that goal , the people of South Asia need to take daring
initiatives in transcending our material and historical limitatations.
Instead of wasting our energies and bountiful but precious resources
in allowing chauvinist, annexationist and hegemonic agendas to flourish,
we should focus on peace, democracy, free enterprise and progress,
to avert military conflicts, revert an arms race, and forge just
and lasting solutions to disputes, such a Kashmir and the civil
war in Afghanistan. We must let open the gates of people to people
co-operation, communication, trade and investment.
We, the people of Pakistan, for our part, should be ready to take
historical initiatives at every level to settle disputes and difference,
such as on Kashmir and nuclear proliferation in South Asia, with
our neigbours, on a reciprocal basis, universally recognized principles
of justice, even-handedness and non-discriminatory standards, international
law and United Nations' initiated processes and resolutions. A new
beginning has to be made if the peoples of South Asia are to live
in peace and harmony, divert their resources to poverty eradication,
mutually beneficial economic collaboration and development.
Who can accept this enormous challenge and lead the nation to take
a great leap forward in a most competitive and fast developing world
of today? The Pakistan Peoples Party is the only party which has
shown a unique sense of history, dynamism and adaptability to take
up ever new challenges in an ever changing environment. At each
historical stage, it formulated a new theorem in accordance with
the objective conditions of our time, such as socialism in the late
'60s and the '70s, liberal democracy in the '80s, privatization-liberalization
in the '90s, and humanism, peace, modernization, private-public
partnership, economics-in-command while entering the next millennium.
In its three decade existence, the Pakistan Peoples Party led all
popular-democratic movements; from the struggle for the right to
adult-franchise and federal parliamentary system (1967-70) to the
movement for the restoration of democracy (1977-88). Most of the
great national achievements go to the PPP's credit: from the 1973
Constitution to the Constitution (Fifteenth Amendment) Bill, from
Steel Mills to Heavy Mechanical Complex, from Port Qasim to the
nuclear programme, from unprecedented foreign investment to 3200
MW power-contracts, from Ghazi Barotha to a massive primary health
and education programme, from neutralizing extremism to restoring
peace in Karachi, etc. The Pakistan Peoples Party is the only party
to have won all the four fair elections held since 1970.
The 58-2(b) regime of Leghari-led caretakers has backfired on its
farcical plank of accountability and has established beyond doubt
that fair and free elections are not possible under its anti-PPP
stewardship. In fact, the November 5 Dissolution Order has set in
motion a colossal crisis in Pakistan's history which has put the
democratic system, security of the nation, economy and the future
of the Federation in jeopardy. But the democratic forces led by
the PPP and the people of Pakistan will again foil all attempts
at subverting the federal parliamentary system, mortgaging national
interests, subjugating civil society to selective injustice in the
name of some other version of the "Law of Necessity' or another
hijacking of the people's mandate.
The nation must say "STOP" to this. The nation must reject
Leghari's hung parliament blue print to save the country from political,
financial and moral collapse. It is no secret that a hung parliament
leads to horse trading, bribery, corruption and blackmail. If there
is a hung parliament, frustration will deepen and extremist forces
will take advantage of it. It is a prescription for national disaster.
National interest calls for the Pakistan Peoples Party to be elected
with a sweeping majority to serve the people in Pakistan's Golden
Jubilee year..
Once again, we shall overcome and be vindicated by history with
the support of the people and the grace of God Almighty.
It is with this sense of history and responsibility that the Pakistan
Peoples Party places before the people its Manifesto for the 1997
elections and calls on the people of Pakistan to
"Follow the Arrow Into The Asian Century"
CHAPTER 1- GOVERNMENT
The Pakistan Peoples Party since its inception has struggled for
the establishment of a democratic polity and the creation and protection
of democratic institutions, the supremacy of the Constitution, the
rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. The Party has
remained in the forefront in the struggle against dictatorship and
any change from the present federal parliamentary structure of the
Constitution.
The Peoples Government conscious of the concern of the people of
Pakistan to the issue of public accountability, besides allowing
the press full freedom to agitate and report issues of public concern,
firstly placed before the public a list of major loan defaulters
and subsequently introduced its Accountability Bill in Parliament
for removing the constitutional immunity of the President, Prime
Minister, Governors and other high constitutional and government
functionaries Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto offered herself for
accountability under the Bill. It perhaps not unrelated that within
weeks of producing the list of defaulters and the presentation of
the Accountability Bill the Peoples Government was removed from
office.
A. SOME MAJOR LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS 1993-96
During its tenure of office from October, 1993 to November 1996,
the Peoples Government pursuant to its economic, social and welfare
commitments to the people of Pakistan started a legislative programme
which attacked a number of fundamental problems facing society.
The Peoples Government also fully implemented the March 20 Supreme
Court judgment. Some of the major pieces of legislation were:
The State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Act, 1994 which gave greater
autonomy to the State Bank of Pakistan;
The Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act, 1994 which made drug laws more
stringent and introduced the death penalty for serious drug offences;
The Code of Criminal Procedure (Second Amendment) Act, 1994 which
gave greater protection to women accused of crimes from coercive
police actions;
The Islamabad Consumers Protection Act, 1995 which for the first
time in Pakistan provided a law to protect consumers;
The Abolition of the Punishment of Whipping Act, 1996 which outlawed
all punishments of whipping except in cases covered under Islamic
law;
The West Pakistan Family Courts (Amendment) Act, 1994 and the Family
Courts (Amendment) Act, 1996 which provided speedier justice to
women in family matters;
The Special Courts for Speedy Trial (Repeal) Act, 1996 which finally
did away with courts providing "martial law" justice.
The Women in Distress or Detention Fund Act, 1996 which for the
first time provided funds and legal aid to women in distress or
under arrest;
Environmental protection Act, 1996 which established the Environment
Protection Agency and provided for setting and monitoring environmental
standards.
In all 45 Acts were passed in addition to three Finance Acts during
the Peoples Government tenure.
SEPARATION OF THE EXECUTIVE AND THE JUDICIARY
The Law Reforms Ordinance, 1996 which implemented Article 175 of
the Constitution and finally separated of the judiciary fro the
executive. The said Ordinance was promulgated on 27th of March 1996
and passed by the National Assembly of Pakistan within two weeks.
The said Ordinance is presently awaiting approval from the Senate.
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
The first bill to be moved in the National Assembly of Pakistan
by the Peoples Government was the Constitution (13th Amendment)
Bill 1994 which sorught to restore women seats in the National Assembly
and also provided special seats for women in the Senate of Pakistan.
The said Bill could not be enacted as the PML-N opposition refused
to support the same and the thus the required a 2/3rd majority was
not available.
The Peoples Government maintained its principled stand on the 8th
Amendment. As in the case of the Constitution (13th Amendment) Bill
there was no support for the repeal of the 8th Amendment from PML-N.
B. MAJOR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA 1997-2002
The Peoples Government will take steps to:
Repeal the 8th Amendment;
Restore womens reserved seats and provide for reserved seats for
women in the Senate;
Appoint an independent Election Commissioner with participation
of the opposition;
Ensure across board accountability with Parliament as the fountainhead;
Increase in the number of national and provincial assembly seats;
Provide for census under the supervision of the judiciary;
Provide for a certain percentage of seats in the national and provincial
assemblies on proportional representation basis;
A four year term for the President, Prime Minister and Parliament
and five year term for Senators;
Judicial reform for quick justice including allocation of sufficient
funds from court fees to ensure adequate funding for the judiciary;
The Peoples Government also pledges itself to carry out wide-ranging
electoral form to ensure fair and transparent elections and also
introduce a new local bodies law with core subjects for local government;
this law will provide strict curbs on non-development expenditure.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Protection of human rights continued to be high on the Peoples Government
Agenda. To monitor the human rights situation in the country a Human
Rights Cell was established in the Federal Government to monitor
human rights, to ensure arrests and prosecution of the human offenders
and to provide relief and redress to victims.
Realizing the magnitude of the problems especially in regard to
child and bonded labour, domestic violence, sex discrimination and
abuses by law enforcing agencies the Peoples Government of Pakistan
converted the Human Rights Cell in separate Ministry of Human Rights.
Pakistan is perhaps be one of the few countries in the world , if
not the only, to have a separate Ministry of Human Rights.
In addition a Tribunal headed by a former Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of Pakistan was established as an independent body for Disadvantaged
Persons.
VIP CULTURE
As a party of the people the Peoples Party abhors both the concept
and practice of "VIP culture". The people should however,
realise that the greatest exhibition of VIP culture is the use and
exercise of the power of the state without accountability to the
people. The Caretakers are the greatest exponents of this culture
and are enjoying the benefits and salaries paid for by the citizens
of Pakistan. They are, however, in no way accountable to the people.
The Pakistan Peoples Party believes that the establishment and enforcement
of democratic traditions where the President, Governors, Prime Minister
and Ministers, Parliamentarians, Judges and other high officials
are accountable to the people through free and fair elections or
the application of laws to them in an equal manner, offers the best
way of dealing with the problem. Cosmetic tinkering as done by the
Caretakers will not in any way end real "VIP Culture".
The Peoples Government vows to take steps to ensure that VIP behaviour
is suppressed. The conspicuous elements of this culture and behaviour
will be curtailed.
CHAPTER 2 - THE ECONOMY
The Review of last Peoples Government's Economic Performance
The Peoples Government assumed power in October, 1993 at a time
when the country, in the words of the then non partisan Caretaker
Prime Minister, was at the verge of a financial collapse. To avert
this possibility, the Caretaker Government had signed an extremely
tough economic program with IMF which conditioned the economic policy
of the new Government throughout its tenure. The Peoples Government
accepted the program the principal in the larger national interest
as otherwise the position of country's reserves was so perilously
low, at less than $ 300 million, and a run on the foreign currency
accounts would have resulted in bankruptcy of the country. However,
the Peoples Party retained with itself the flexibility to implement
the program in a manner which was least harmful or damaging to the
people of Pakistan.
The Peoples Government's economic policy revolved around two main
elements. First, restoration of country's macro-economic framework
i.e. reduction in budget deficit, control of money supply, stabilization
in balance of payments and stemming of inflationary pressures. Second,
building of nation's highly debilitated physical infrastructure
and human resource base which had emerged as the single most important
factor limiting the growth potential of the economy. The restoration
of macro framework was a prerequisite for revival of growth in the
economy whereas acceleration in the rate of growth was only possible
through a major program of expansion of physical infrastructure.
Thus the two elements of economic policy were designed to lay a
foundation of a major revival of economic activity in the country
and to push the standard of living of the common man.
Notwithstanding inheriting a run down economy, the Peoples Government
faced boldly the challenging task of macroeconomics stabilisation
and structural reforms. The process made under the Peoples Government
has to be viewed in the context of performance during the full three
years of its tenure. In important sectors of the economy, there
was significant progressive transformation, even though in some
areas, the performance fell short of the ambitious targets that
the Government had set for itself. These achievements, led according
to the IMF report on Pakistan's economy for 1995/96 to a growth
rate of over 6% and restoration of the rate of economic growth from
the low point of 2.4% reached in 92-93 , reduction in inflation,
massive increase in foreign investment, reduction in the trade gap,
reduction in the debt as percentage of GDP and improvement in the
balance of payments, a substantial reduction in fiscal deficits,
implementation of basic reforms in tax structure, extension of sales
tax, lowering of import tariff from 110% to 55% , first ever imposition
of wealth tax on agriculture. There was impressive progress in enlarging
the scope of the private sector and large scale and diverse program
of privatization was successfully accomplished, along with deregulation
of sanctioning procedures and prices. The substantial improvement
in the external position succeeded in attracting a record inflow
of foreign investment. During the three years of Peoples Government
, there was accelerated investment both in infrastructure as well
as grassroots projects in the social field and in population planning.
The Peoples Government undertook the enormous task of readjustment
to a dramatically changed and worsened scenario of external resource
availability. US aid had ceased after Soviet exit from Afghanistan,
workers remittances have declined sharply, and donor assistance
had stagnated. The country had then increasingly to rely on capital
markets and foreign private investment. Consequently the Peoples
Government designed innovative policies to attract private sector
investment, both local and foreign, for the development of much
needed infrastructure projects. The challenge before Pakistan, which
the Peoples Government has been responding to, is that we must not
flinch from taking essential and sometimes unpopular measures for
sustaining the economy. However, these measures have to be implemented
within a democratic framework, with sovereign legislatures, a free
press and an independent judiciary.
Notwithstanding is successes, the performance of the economy in
the last few months of the Peoples Government, came under severe
pressure from the organised efforts of politically hostile groups,
to sabotage the economy, as a means of ousting the Peoples Government,
before the expiry of its lawful term. Apart from strikes and no
tax campaigns, there was a mischievous effort to destroy the credibility
of the Government (and the country) with foreign investors and international
institutions. Despite the dislocation suffered by the economy, from
the activities of these saboteurs, the Peoples Government was able
to maintain adequate reserves, to meet international obligations
and had, in fact concluded a new agreement with the IMF toward the
end of October 96. The strategy of economic disruption having failed,
the opponents and the Caretakers are already discovering the high
price that the country has to pay for eroding external confidence
in the country's integrity and its economy.
A.
MAJOR ECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENTS 1993-96
· Increased GDP growth rate from 2.4% per annum in 1993 to
6.1% per annum in 1996.
· Reduced budget deficit from 9.5% of GDP to less than 6%
of GDP and successfully negotiated waivers from IMF for faster deficit
reductions. This allowed the Peoples Government to introduce far
ranging social programmes in the health and education sectors, to
provide employment to hundreds of thousands and to ensure that increases
in utilities and other user prices are kept to a minimum. The target
in 1996-97 was 4.7%;
· Reduced non-development expenditure as a % of GDP allowing
the Government to increase allocations to the social sectors;
· Increased the education budget to 300 % above that in October
1993;
· Increased the health budget by 65 % above that in October
1993;
· Electrified 18,000 towns and villages at a rate five times
that of the PML-N Government;
· Provided gas connections to over 1.5 million consumers
in cities, towns and villages;
· Provided employment to hundreds of thousands of people;
· Increased foreign exchange reserves to $2.4 billion in
June 1996. When the Peoples Government was unconstitutionally removed
on November 5, 1996, these foreign exchange reserves were still
double those left by the PML-N Government;
· Lowered tariffs to 55%;
· Defence expenditure as a percentage of GDP declined;
· Obtained firm contractual commitment of US$ 8 billion private
investment in the fields of power, petroleum and chemicals with
over US$ 3 billion being received in Pakistan from 1993;
· Announced and implemented a Power Policy ending 15 years
of load-shedding. An independent assessment made by a high level
mission of international lending institution has indicated that
Pakistan's energy sector policy has led to investment commitments
of more than $ 6 billion which is more than the combined investment
attracted by Eastern European countries since demise of the Soviet
Union or by China in its energy sector in the same period. This
is a clear testimony to the success of the policies adopted by the
Peoples Government, which laid the foundation of a solid economic
revival in the country;
· Announced and implemented a Petroleum Policy which in 3
years from 1993 led to the signing of 50 agreements with national
and international companies as against only three agreements in
1992-93 for the exploration for oil and gas in Pakistan involving
investment of over $581 million. When the Peoples Government was
removed an additional 29 agreements were pending signing involving
direct risk investment of over $ 126 million in Pakistan;
· Announced and started implementing Big City Packages costing
Rs.150 billion;
· Built 300,000 low cost residences for workers providing
shelter to over 1 million people;
· Carried out a successful privatization programme which
was acknowledged worldwide as being fair and transparent. The Government
even letters of appreciation as to the transparency of the process
even from unsuccessful firms;
· Reduced growth in money supply from an average of 20% during
the period of PML-N Government to less than 15%;
· Expanded the tax base through the introduction of General
Sales Tax which led to an increase in tax receipts from Rs.160 billion
to Rs. 267 billion, representing a positive increase in the tax
to GDP ratio;
· Imposed for the first time in country's history, agriculture
wealth tax and pursuaded the provinces to levy agriculture income
tax.
Notwithstanding the successes, areas where the Peoples Governments
performance fell short of the target was the behavior of prices
and the ratio of debt servicing. The unusually high monetary growth
of the Nawaz regime continued to exert its influence on prices through
lagged response. The international prices of some essential food
items,
such as edible oil also contributed to higher prices. However, as
the latest IMF report on Pakistan's economy shows the rate of inflation
had stabilized and had started to come down when the Peoples Government
was dismissed. The recent increase in prices as a result of the
Caretakers reckless decisions show that the Peoples Government acted
as the dam against lender conditionalities. The debt servicing ratio
increased due to the accumulation of past debt.
B. ECONOMIC AGENDA 1997-2002
· The Peoples Government will complete its programmes disrupted
by the dissolution and ensure that the nation reaps the benefits
of those policies. The following will constitute the core elements
of the Peoples Government economic policy:
· Increase tax revenues by a vigorous pursuit of tax evaders
and a search for undeclared assets abroad. The tax system will be
streamlined and the number of tax payers increased. There will also
be a vigorous pursuit of cases in the courts system where billions
of rupees are held up;
· Decrease tax rates levels thereby encouraging more people
to pay taxes. The first reduction will be in the 1997 budget. This
will include an increase in the base income of salaried and professionals
exempted from tax to give them some relief from the vagaries of
inflation;
· Maintain a stable macro-economic framework by keeping a
low budget deficit, a prudent expansion in money supply, equilibrium
in balance of payments and stability in prices. In an economy that
crucially depends on inflow of private foreign capital, a stable
macro framework is a pre-condition to inspiring confidence among
foreign investors to lead to more job creation and more growth;
· Promote investment will be the key for achieving an accelerated
rate of economic growth. Policies along the lines of energy and
petroleum policies will be designed for sectors, like communications,
highways, ports and shipping etc. and those sectors using indigenous
resources;
· Promote the acceleration of oil and gas exploration to
ensure mamimisation of indigenous energy resources;
· Accelerate the process of deregulation. They key areas
of reforms would include further liberalization of financial sector
giving greater autonomy to banks and other financial institutions
before and after privatization in their operations, greater role
of market forces in determination of exchange rates, removal of
restrictions on the operations of capital markets and mobilization
of resources, greater and easier access of private sector to foreign
exchange resources;
· The process of privatization will be accelerated by early
disposal of those infrastructure units where the financial advisors
have completed their work. The role of capital markets in the process
will be enhanced by placing significant portions of these shares
in the capital markets;
· Grass root changes in banks and financial institutions
will be instituted. Except for National Bank of Pakistan all banks
will be privatised, with full security of employment to employees;
· An infrastructure development bank will be established
as part of the public-private partnership. The bank would be devoted
will be majority owned by the public sector for financing the infrastructure
projects;
· An export development bank will be established which would
be devoted for the financing exportables from Pakistan. The resources
for the bank would be met from the export financing scheme of the
SBP and diversion of resources from other uses which would be significantly
curtailed after the privatization of DFIs;
· Recovery of stuck up financial resources shall receive
top priority. Advances and any rescheduling shall be closely monitored
to ensure against abuse;
· Service perks of government servants will be gradually
discontinued and replaced with higher cash in hand emoluments.
· The Peoples Government also plans to initiate some new
revolutionary economic programs in the country. Salient features
of these programs are given below:-
Social Safety Net
· Poverty alleviation and welfare of the most vulnerable
segments of population will be accorded top priority in the new
economic program of the Peoples Government. The resources of Zakat,
Ushr, Baitul Maal, Old Age Benefit Scheme and other welfare oriented
sources would be extended and the coverage of population significantly
expanded. The coverage of pension would be expanded to almost all
workers. The international donor agencies would be approached to
support the social safety net programs of the Government in view
of the structural reforms being undertaken by the country. Examples
of such support and their success in insulating the poor from the
adverse effects of structural adjustments is now well known.
· As part of this programme the Peoples Government will provide
large number of 60 sq.m. area plots for housing. The owners can
collectively take up development on the OPP or Khuda Basti models.
The idea is to effectively eliminate the land-grabber, on which
the poor have to depend on their housing needs. "A plot for
every family " is the ultimate objective
Debt Crisis and its Solution
· The most important economic problem facing the nation is
the staggering public debt which has reached a figure of Rs.1,400
billion at the end of 1995-96. Fiscal, monetary and exchange rate
policies are now a hostage to this pivotal problem of the economic
management. An increasingly high proportion of current expenditure
is devoted to the debt-servicing both domestic and foreign. In the
budget 1996-97 almost Rs.200 billion would be spent under this head,
whereas the interest payments alone have surpassed defence spending.
· The debt crisis is the legacy of martial law regime which,
having squandered foreign aid and failed to impose taxes at the
right moment and ruthlessly borrowed to perpetuate its unconstitutional
rule. Subsequent Governments did not have enough courage to face
the problem and added their bit to the accentuation of the problem.
The last Peoples Government took the radical step of using the privatization
proceeds for retirement of public debt.
· The Peoples Government undertakes to frontally attack the
problem of public debt management through the following elements:
· all proceeds from privatization of public sector units,
especially infrastructure projects, will be used exclusively for
the retirement of public debt;
· internationally all accepted methods of debt retirement,
such as debt-equity swaps, debt conversation, debt sell-off and
transfer etc. would be allowed for early disposal of public assets
and consequent retirement of debt;
· depending on the circumstances, the Government would not
hesitate in requiring its creditors, both local and foreign, to
enter in negotiation for debt rescheduling and restructuring with
a view to seeking relief from mounting and unbearable debt servicing
burden; such occasionals have occurred in the case of other developing
countries who have successively re-negotiated their debt;
· a policy will be adopted to gradually liberalize the capital
account of the balance of payment, thereby passing on the exchange
liabilities to the private sector;
· public sector investments will be primarily restricted
in social sectors or such economic sectors where commercial yields
are marginal but have large social returns. This would release borrowing
pressures on the Government;
· budget deficit would be cut basically by cutting non-development
expenditure and effecting savings in implementation of development
schemes.
CHAPTER 3 - AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION
A. MAJOR
AGRICULTURE ACHIEVEMENTS 1993-1996
Given the predominantly agrarian structure of Pakistan's economy,
no significant economic growth can be achieved without the commensurate
contribution from the agriculture sector. The Peoples Government
therefore places strong emphasis on agricultural growth and that
was why there was a resurgence of agricultural growth under the
Peoples Government as compared with agricultural growth under the
Nawaz Government. The Peoples Government had the following successes:
· There was a handsome positive agriculture growth rate of
over 6% per annum in the period as against a negative 15% growth
rate in 1992-93 when the Peoples Government took office;
· In calamity affected areas, relief to small farmers was
given on production loans and interest on production loans were
waived during 1995-96;
· An amount of Rs.15 billion was disbursed as credit to farmers
through ADBP in 1995-96 as compared to about Rs.10 billion in 1992-93,
an increase of 50%;
· Kisan banking window operations were established at 356
branches of ADBP to provide credit to small farmers. Rs.4.53,925.36
million was disbursed through this scheme during 1995-96;
· Under Awami Tractor Scheme, 20,000 tractors were provided
to farmers at subsidized rate during 1995-96.
· Seed business was declared an industry to boast seed production
and incentives like exemption of custom duty on import of vegetable
seeds, duty free import of inbred lines for production of hybrid
seeds and reduction in import duty of seed processing machinery
and seed testing laboratory equipment were granted.
· Support prices of important agricultural commodities were
increased in 1995-96 to provide incentive to farmers for increasing
production.
B. AGRICULTURE AGENDA 1997-2002
Apart from the vagaries of the weather, our agriculture is beset
by the problems of poor untimely water supplies of contaminated
pesticides, non-availability of adequate and timely credit, inadequate
infrastructure for farm to market access and extremely poor yields
of major crops. Unless a grass root program for alleviation these
ills is launched there is no hope for exploiting the fullest potential
of country's agriculture sector. The Peoples Government will adopt
an agricultural policy to fundamentally restructure the agriculture
sector comprising:
· A grass root program for construction of lined water courses
and canals, development of new canals and rehabilitation of the
existing canal system to improve water supplies and effect economy
in water use;
· Expeditiously complete large schemes to create a comprehensive
drainage system in the country and its extension with a top-to-bottom
approach;
· Introduction of new laws providing severe punishments alongwith
an efficient enforcement machinery to check the widespread contamination
of pesticides, fertilizer and other agriculture inputs;
· Ensure greater allocation of credit from ADBP for production
activities on a timely basis by strengthening the Kissan window,
greater provision of credit from SBP, adequate availability of credit
for financing of agriculture implements including tractors;
· Allow prices of all agriculture crops to be freely determined
by market forces; there will be no indirect taxation of agriculture
sector by paying less than local market or international prices;
· Strengthen agriculture research institutions through provisions
of greater resources for the purpose of studying the ways for improving
yields of all major crops;
· Establish a massive net-work of farm-to-market roads to
improve the access of farmer to the market thereby enabling him
to get timely access and better prices from the market;
· Treat the agricultural sector at par with the industrial
sector;
· Policy incentives to be provided to promote agro-industry
in the rural areas to encourage demand led growth and to provide
employment opportunities in the rural areas;
· Spend a percentage of agricultural income tax in the District
from where taxes have been collected. This would mobilize resource
collection and encourage the agricultural sector to contribute in
to the national exchanger;
· Promote corporate farming to attract national and foreign
investment into the agricultural sector;
· Provide incentives to promote the livestock sector, so
that organised livestock farms to be promoted to meet the milk and
meat requirements of the country;
· Initiate incentives and policies to promote exports of
high-value agriculture goods like fruit, flowers and vegetables;
· Introduce crop insurance;
· Ensure timely payments to farmers who suffer from delayed
recoveries of payments for their products;
· Issue title deeds for agriculture lands so that the farmers
does not remain at the mercy of the revenue officials. He should
be able to use title deed as collateral and for obtaining credits
and other benefits. This will also simplify transfers of land;
· Develop an oilseed development plan to provide an additional
boost to minimise dependence on imported oils;
· Pursue land reform and distribute Government land among
the landless.
CHAPTER 4 - HEALTH
The Peoples
Government placed special emphasis on health, education and population
planning under its Social Action Programme. These programmes were
designed to improve the human resource situation in the country
and bring services to the peoples doorstep.
A. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE HEALTH SECTOR 1993-96
· There was a seven fold increase in Health Budget from 1993
to 1996. 60% of allocation earmarked for Primary Health Care (PHC)
Programmes;
· Programme instituted for training and development of 100,000
Lady Health Workers (LHW) to deliver PHC, mother & child care,
immunization, free medicines, family planning guidance & services
health education, pre & post natal care through a direct village
& mohalla based approach. By November 1996 50,000 LHW's had
been trained and were serving in the field to provide access to
the under-served areas. This was Pakistan's largest-ever women employment
program [introduced by non-other than the world's first women Prime
Minister];
· National anti-polio drive started and in three years immunized
millions of children. Pakistan is now on its way of being polio
free by year 2000;
· Medical education reform - 4 major medical colleges (one
in each Province) started community:
· Oriented medical education to respond to the real health
needs of the masses and the epidemiological trends;
· Inclusion of family planning and primary health care was
made compulsory in all medical college courses and in the secondary
school curriculum;
· Greater autonomy was given to medical colleges for defining
curriculum. Admissions were based on national testing service so
as to ensure fairness and integrity of exams, and to establish national
standards;
· Self-financing fee plan introduced, based on the principle
that those who can afford to should pay, scholarships to be provided
for needy students, self-financing fee plan enhances income for
the medical colleges;
· Higher qualification standards established by the Pakistan
Medical & Dental Council in line with modern medical education
requirements in the developed countries;
· To reduce incidence of goiter, cretinism, mal-formation
and mental retardation, a large scale iodination of salt campaign
was launched. 1.5 million persons were given iodized oil therapy.
13,580 tons of iodized salt was distributed. 26% of all salt in
Pakistan was iodized;
· There was a strengthening of health management information
systems to provide up-dated, reliable and accurate data on health
for policy formulation, programme design and realistic planning;
· Policy framework and incentives were announced to promote
private sector investment in the health services, specially in the
tertiary area so that Government resources can be increasingly ear-marked
for promotive and preventive health care for the poor, specially
the rural poor;
· There was a quantum increases in the nurses training programmes,
up-gradation of nurse's posts, increase in the salary of nurse's
and their status;
· Aggressive public awareness programmes were launched to
disseminate information about AIDS, nutrition, malaria, healthy
life-style, anti-smoking, mother and child care tuberculosis control,
family planning and primary health care;
· Low-cost medicine were made available through the People's
pharmacies located within the hospital premises to provide 24 hours
service. Availability of essential drugs at 15% lower than market
rates;
· Policies were launched for involvement of the community
in planning, management,
partial-financing, and monitoring of public health services through
village committees;
· Total eradication of guinea worm from Pakistan was achieved
in 1996;
· Burn units established. One in each major provincial hospital;
· Human resource development in the health sector with a
focus on clinical, laboratory & radiology technicians training
for lady health visitors, school health visitors, traditional birth
attendants, nutritionists, hospital administration was started;
· For first time policies were formulated on essential drugs,
vaccine and drug quality assurance, drug pricing, rational drug
use and basic manufacture.
B. HEALTH AGENDA FOR 1997-2002
· Enhance Health Budget to 3.5% of GDP by 2002;
· Continue all health initiatives started by Peoples' Government
from 1993-1996 according to Health Policy priorities;
· Prepare and implement programmes to expand primary health
care coverage so that every citizen is covered by 2005 through the
Basic Health Units (BHUS), Dispensaries,
Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), LHWs, district and city hospitals;
· Rationalize health manpower needs by training more health
service providers, nurses, para-medics country doctors, technologists,
nutritionists, school health visitors, hospital administrators;
· Promote private-sector investment in basic manufacturing
and development of raw materials and the indigenous pharmaceutical
industry. Specially promote national manufacture of essential drugs;
· Promote operational research, management, increase institutional
capacity for research;
· Develop a private sector managed health care insurance
for government employees. Promote health insurance for private citizens;
· Ensure clean drinking water for all by 2002;
· Ban medical treatment overseas at government expense for
parliamentarians and government servants;
· Make Pakistan polio-free by 2000;
· Ensure by 1998 100,000 LHWs are trained and providing services
in the field. Train an additional 50,000 LHW's by 2000;
· Launch a national campaign against measles, whooping cough
and tetanus;
· Prepare rationalized policy for future requirement of doctors
and other health service providers;
· Achieve universal salt iodination by 2002;
· Incentives for private sector investment in tertiary care
i.e. highly specialized hospitals for heart, kidney & cancer;
· Ensure all major city hospitals to have burn units by 2002.
District Hospitals by 2010;
· Actively promote women's jobs in Health Sector;
· Establish an autonomous board for drug registration and
pricing with complete transparent procedures;
· Promote generic medicine to provide cheaper medicines.
CHAPTER 5 - EDUCATION
A. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR 1993-96
· Increased the education budget 300% from 1993 to 1996 (from
Rs.13.790 billion to Rs.42.247 billion). In GDP terms the education
budget was increased from 1.9% of GDP in 1993 to 2.52% in 1996;
· Primary education and literacy received 65% of the total
education allocation, with the largest share going into girls primary
education;
· Focus shifted from tertiary to basic education for all
and from general to vocational and technical education, from urban
secondary to rural primary and to girls education;
· Legislation passed for compulsory primary education to
ensure EFA by all 4 Provinces. Federal legislation on the anvil;
· National and Provincial Education Foundations made operative
for promoting public - private partnerships for establishing schools,
specially for girls;
· Curriculum revised to include environment, health, population
studies, drug abuse education, ethics and character building. New
integrated curriculum introduced for primary classes. English made
compulsory from primary school. History textbooks corrected for
distortions and in-accuracies. Pakistan's ideology as defined by
Quad-e-Azam included as the foundation course for all students;
· National Education Testing services introduced for standardized
testing for entrance to professional colleges i.e. medical and engineering
and for universities;
· Four private sector universities approved;
· Computer literacy centres established;
· Rs.400 million allocated for vocational education to promote
skills training for secondary school students;
· Teacher training programmes through open university increased
resulting in 15,000 teachers being produced per annum in 1993 to
45,000 in 1996. 20 new vocational courses introduced;
· Literacy rate increased from 35% in 1993 to 38% in 1996.
Literacy target set at 70% by year 2000. Primary enrollment increased
from 13.5 million to 15.5 million in 1996. Enrollment target set
for 24 million by 2002. Participation rate increased from 66% in
1993 to 73% in 1996. Target set for 90% by 2002;
· Multiple Textbook Policy adopted to encourage private sector
to compete with Government Textbook Boards, for better quality textbooks;
· 6,500 teachers providing literacy through the home-school
program in collaboration with NGO's by 1996 ;
· Self-financing fee plan for students who can afford to
pay. This additional income will be generated for universities and
colleges to ease the budget deficit situation of the higher education
sector;
· Major administrative and financial restructuring of the
universities to make them financially self-reliant over a phased
period of 8 years.
B. EDUCATION AGENDA 1997-2002 ONWARDS
Reaffirming that the right to education is fundamental human right,
the Peoples Party pledges to:
· Increase allocation to education to 3.0 of GDP by 2000
sector to 4.5% of GDP by 2005;
· Achieve universalization of basic education and 85% literacy
by 2005;
· Ensure secondary and tertiary education to be employment
and productivity oriented;
· Improve quality inputs i.e. teacher training, curriculum,
computers, textbooks, testing and evaluation;
· Emphasize computer, technical, vocational education and
English for improving employability of school and college graduates;
· Carry out major reform of teacher training curriculum based
on modern scientific pedagogical research, emphasis on science and
vocational education;
· Provide incentives to the private sector for establishing
vocational and technical training institutes, professional college
and universities;
· Ensure admissions to higher level institutions to be made
on merit;
· Devolve authority to district level and to communities
for repair, maintenance and monitoring of school facilities;
· Introduce new technology subjects such as genetic engineering,
bio-genetics,
information - technology, robotics, management system, fibre-optics;
· Revamp the examination system by establishing Independent
Examination Boards in the public and private sector;
· Provide autonomy to all nationalized colleges;
· Denationalize all missionary schools & colleges protecting
the rights of all teachers in the same way as worker in the privatized
industries;
· Prime Minister's literacy commission to set up 20,000 literacy
centres by 2002 through home-based schools;
· Provide administrative & financial autonomy to all
public-sector universities and formal institutional linkages with
trade, industry, agriculture and finance sectors;
· Introduce scholarships based on need and merit for poor
students;
· Recognize and promote private sector role in education;
· Enhance teacher's status through highest level awards,
high public office, increase salaries and up-grade of posts;
Introduce exchanges and split degree programmes with prestigious
and well-renowned foreign universities.
CHAPTER 6 - EMPLOYMENT
A. EMPLOYMENT ACHIEVEMENTS 1993-96
Recognizing unemployment as one a major national problem the Peoples'
Government adopted a four phased approach towards the problem:
1. Employment through the Public Sector:
The Peoples Government is not apologetic in any way for employing
hundreds of thousands of young men and women in the public sector.
While the Peoples Party expects that over the course of time the
focus of job creation be in the private sector it was, in view of
the existing economic realities, unwilling to allow the youth of
Pakistan to be left in despair and poverty, thereby leading to social
conflicts, rising crime and probable public disorder. Therefore,
the Peoples Government took the bold step of using the public sector
to take the slack in the creation of employment opportunities, although
this made it more difficult for the Peoples Government to meet some
of the commitments made by the Caretaker Government of Mr. Moin
Qureshi to international agencies viz. budget deficits. The Peoples
Party rejects the allegations that political favouritism or corruption
was employed in granting employment.
Those employed made a significant contribution to the country's
social well being. For instance hundreds of thousands were employed
in various government departments and agencies, 50,000 young women
were employed as Lady Health Workers with another 45,000 under training.
Thousands of teachers were appointed under the Peoples Government
aggressive programme to wipe out illiteracy.
2. Employment through the private sector especially through
foreign investment:
Foreign investment increased by $ 3 billion in the three years under
the Peoples Government. This led to a large increase in the number
of employed in the private sector. Major construction activity in
the areas of power plants, pipelines and other infrastructural projects
meant that a large number of people were gainfully employed during
the period 1993-6. With major infrastructural projects and major
private investment in the power, petroleum and chemical industries
under implementation or sanctioned by the Peoples Government the
serious problem of unemployment would have eased further in the
next few years. The Peoples Government ensured that as part of the
privatization process the employment of workers was fully protected
with no terminations allowed except for misconduct. The labour agreement
negotiated with the WAPDA union during the privatization of the
Kot Addu Power station has been hailed as a perfect example for
protecting labour rights in a privatization programme. The ever
increasing number of vacancies being advertised in the newspapers
for employment in the private sector are proof of the Peoples Government's
policies were succeeding in easing the problems of unemployment.
3. Special programme for training in technical trades and
domestic services:
The Peoples' Government started the Special Programme for Training
in Technical Trades and Domestic Services aimed at reducing un-employment,
meeting the skilled workers requirements of the industries/employment
market, assisting in self-employment and facilitating export of
manpower. The programme envisaged training of about 50,000 workers
in 24 different technical trades and occupations. The scheme launched
in March 1994 was funded by the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF)
by generating financial resources through enhancement of service
charges by September 1996. 22,500 trainees have already completed
different training courses while 5,500 were presently undergoing
training. An amount of Rs.210 million was made available to finance
the programme during 1995-96. Continuity in the programme would
have undoubtedly benefited the labour market to help solve, the
problem of un-employment. The dismissal of the Peoples' Government
has thrown this important problem into cold-storage and deprived
thousands of men and women the chance for skill-training and livelihood.
4. Employment through self employment:
The Peoples Government under the Small Businesses and YIPS programmes
over 150,000 young and deserving persons were provided financial
assistance to start businesses and create self employment.
5. Employment through export of labour:
The Peoples' Government implemented an aggressive policy to export
manpower and had high level meetings in this regard with a number
of brotherly and friendly states. In 1996 alone over 120,000 people
found employment abroad.
B. EMPLOYMENT AGENDA FOR 1997-2002
The Peoples Party categorically reject the Caretakers policies of
terminating hundreds of thousands of government employees and employees
of banks/DFIs/semi autonomous bodies the Peoples Party condemns
the decision of PML-N and other political parties to accept the
Caretakers decision in this regard.
The Peoples Government will continue its policy for maximum employment
through infrastructural development, private sector investment,
training, employment through self-employment schemes and export
of labour. The Peoples Government will place a high priority in
creating employment opportunities.
CHAPTER 7 - LABOUR
The Pakistan
Peoples Party has always stood at the forefront of labour's struggle
for the protection of their rights and their economic well being.
The Government has a critical role to play in ensuring that the
labour class is not exploited and that it receives its due rights
and position in society. The Peoples Government in the seventies
framed basic laws which to date still provide vital rights to the
labour class.
The labour laws need some essential changes to meet the requirements
of an entirely different labour-industrial environment than the
one that existed thirty years ago. The goal at which the Peoples
Government will provide a basis for improved labour-industrial relations,
greater job and financial security to workers both during and after
employment.
The scope of labour laws will be gradually expanded to include agricultural
labourers and the present legal system for adjudication legal disputes
will be remodeled and revitalised to ensure both labour and industry's
rights are protected.
A. ACHIEVEMENTS IN LABOUR 1993-1996
1. TASK FORCE ON SOCIAL SECURITY
The Peoples' Government giving high priority to welfare of labour,
set-up the Task Force on Social Security to examine the Employees
Old Age Benefits Act, 1976 and other labour laws to firm up various
recommendations in regard to old age pension scheme, social security
scheme and workers welfare scheme and various decisions taken. These
could not be implemented due to the dismissal of the Peoples Government.
2. HOUSES FOR WORKERS
In order to provide housing facilities to the industrial workers,
the government launched a programme for massive construction of
labour colonies in the four provinces. Initially Rs.1 billion were
allocated for this purpose from the Workers Welfare Fund. The programme
was in addition to the regular programmes undertaken by the Provincial
Governments with the Federal Government's additional finances to
provide law cost houses to the workers. The programme envisaged
construction of low cost houses and development of residential plots
for allotment to workers on easy installments. Work on 7 schemes
was in progress while another 14 were in the planning stage when
the Peoples Government was dismissed. Under the Workers Welfare
Fund, a large scale scheme to provide land for labour had also been
finalized. These schemes scheduled to be completed by 1998 would
have benefitted over one million workers and their families. The
Peoples Government undertake to implement and expedite the scheme.
B. LABOUR AGENDA 1997-2002
· A new pension scheme will be formulated for labour extending
coverage and the quantum of pension in the existing scheme Rs.425
to Rs.700 per month. Under the new pension scheme, coverage will
be extended from the present 100,000 workers to 7 million by the
year 2010. The Peoples Government will provide a fixed annual amount
of Rs.1 billion to the Employees Old Age Benefits Institution (EOBI)
for implementation of the scheme;
· A new National Pension Scheme would be launched and all
workers, and self-employed persons would be eligible to join the
a new scheme;
· Workers will be covered by the Peoples Government social
safety net;
· The Peoples Government will increase the number of housing
schemes for workers and provide shelter to over one and a half million
workers and their families by the year 2002.
· Contract labour shall be abolished and minimum wages will
be increased keeping inflation in view;
· Workers shall be provided with an effective safety net
for health care, education for their children and with old age pensions;
· Health insurance cover will be provided to meet major health
emergencies;
· Funds from the Worker's Welfare Fund will be spent strictly
for the sole benefit the workers and with the consultation of the
worker's representatives;
· Major labour intensive public works programmes will be
undertaken to combat un-employment and build infrastructure;
· Ex-employees of closed industries will be given the option
to run those industries together with financial institutions on
a "own as you pay" basis". Those industries which
the employees refuse to run will be liquidated, so that recoverable
financial resources, land and human resources can be reinvested
in profitable ventures.
CHAPTER 8 - WOMEN
A. WOMEN'S RIGHTS & DEVELOPMENT ACHIEVEMENTS 1993-1996
1. Strengthening of Institutional Framework.
· Strengthened the Ministry of Women Development and Youth
Affairs;
· Set up of Women Development Department in the Provinces;
· Made women issues a focal point in all Federal Ministries
and provincial departments.
2. Shifting of emphasis from welfare oriented development
to skill development.
· During
the last two years (98 in the Public Sector & 185 in the Private
Sector);
· The Ministry of Women Development funded 283 women development
projects establishment of 40 computer training centres under the
umbrella project;
· Expended the operation and branches of First Women Bank
established in 1989 (33 branches by the Peoples Government all over
Pakistan);
· Regional Development Training Institute established in
March, 1995. Courses in banking, computers, entrepreneurship started;
3. First
of Its kind in South Asia:
National Training & Resource Centre for Women in Development
Islamabad, Rs. 420.83 million approved.
4. Law,
Security & Health
· For the first time induced of women officers in the police
service of Pakistan;
· Strengthened the women police force;
· Acquired land in four provinces for modern prisons for
women;
· Established a network of women police stations in Karachi,
Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Abbottabad and Saidu Sharif;
· Established Commission of Inquiry for Women (October 1994)
to review all the existing laws which are discriminatory to women
or effect their rights as equal citizens;
· Signed the United Nation Convention on Elimination of all
forms of Discrimination against Women in August, 1995;
· Appointed women judges in three of four of the country's
High Courts;
· Introduced Rural Health Programme. 100,000 females will
be trained as Primary Health Workers to provide maternal Health
Care, Child nutrition and population planning services;
· Established burns wards in major hospitals in each Province
to especially deal with cases of home accidents and domestic violence.
Supported Global Commission on Women's Health Pakistan (WHO) (Pakistan
Chapter);
· Co-ordinated Population Planning Programme "From state
and Seminar to Home & Hearth";
· Started Medical Technical Assistants Training Programme
for Girls (MTA) in selected Divisional/District Hospitals;
· Established anti T.B. drug bank for women;
· Started housing scheme for destitute women with a Rs. 20
million revolving Fund.
5. Planning & Development Division
Incorporated the Beijing Plan of Action and the National Report
for women into SAP-II and 9th Five Year Plan
B. WOMEN'S RIGHTS & DEVELOPMENT AGENDA 1997-2002
1. POLITICAL PARTICIPATION & REPRESENTATION
To ensure women's political participation and representation, measures
will be taken to:
· Restore the reserved seats for women in the National Assembly,
Senate and Provincial Assemblies and in the local bodies;
· Establish a Permanent Commission on the Status of Women
as an autonomous statutory body comprising government representatives,
NGOs, human rights organizations, and experts in different fields
to review, recommend, oversee and monitor the implementation of
laws, policies and programmes in development, rights and political
participation;
· Ensure minimum 20% women's representation and participation
in local government institutions and advisory committees established
for developmental programmes e.g. the Social Action Programme and
the Rural Support Programmes;
· Enhance the minimum quota for women in the civil services
to 10% in all sectors and grades including all government, semi-government
and autonomous bodies;
· Formulate a well-defined policy for women's development
by the Government;
· Include the MoWD as a permanent member of important policy-making
fora, like the National Economic Council (NEC), Executive Committee
of the NEC (ECNEC), Central Development Working Party (CDWP), Agricultural
Credit Advisory Committee (ACAC);
· Ensure equal representation of women in all committees
instituted at the local level for maintenance and monitoring of
public programmes such as school management committees, rural water
supply and sanitation groups;
2. EMPLOYMENT
A national employment policy for women will be enunciated immediately
for the women workers in the formal and informal sector. Ensuring
that laws are implemented regarding 8 hour working days for women
workers in the formal sector, measures will be taken to:
· Extend the legal cover of an adequate minimum wage, acceptable
working hours, and health and maternity benefits to casual, temporary
and piece-rate workers;
· Encourage women's participation in public sector employment
through flexibility in regulations pertaining to age;
· Introduce incentives of a reasonable maternity package
and day care facilities at larger workplaces;
· Enforce corrective measures for minimising occupational
health hazards for women in the industrial sectors;
· Facilitate hostel accommodation for working women in all
cities and towns;
· Encourage rural-based industries and enterprises, especially
those that absorb women;
· Review the existing employment laws and practice to ensure
equality of opportunity and non-discrimination against women, and
set up special units in Industrial Relations Boards to redress cases
of discrimination, harassment and victimization of women workers;
· Provide training and credit and facilitate marketing procedures
for women micro-entrepreneurs through specially designed schemes;
· Create a national data-base on women employment;
· Increase the recruitment of women in Labour Inspectorate
to monitor the working conditions of women workers.
3. VIOLENCE
· To combat all forms of violence against women (including
domestic violence, custodial violence, sexual harassment, public
humiliations and prostitution and trafficking of women):
· Undertake stronger legislative action to create a safe
social and physical environment for women;
· Establish support structures (e.g. legal aid and counseling
centres) and shelters all over the country for female victims of
violence and forced prostitution.
· Set up citizen-police liaison committees at the mohalla
and village level to provide protection for women and register cases
of domestic violence as criminal offense.
· Expand and upgrade the women's police force and improve
the conditions in women's prisons. Provide state counseling for
women prisoners;
· Enact legislation to ensure that doctors in hospitals immediately
report female burn cases and alleged/suspected domestic violence
cases to the police. Establish special units in hospitals, clinics
and dispensaries for medico-legal support to victims of such violence;
· Establish committees at sub-divisional and district levels
with women's adequate representation, to perform the following functions:
- to liaise with patient care societies to arrange for legal, psychiatric
and financial help to victims of violence.
- visit women confined to police lock-ups and prisons.
- maintain records on the conditions of the victims/prisoners, and
collect data on cases of rape.
· Organise training programmes on violence against women
for members of law-enforcement agencies, the judiciary and legislatures;
· Strictly monitor and severely deal with violence against
women by state agencies.
4. LEGAL RIGHTS
To ensure the human rights of women and to eradicate all forms of
discrimination against them, affirmative action will be taken by:
· Repealing/amending blatantly discriminatory and derogatory
laws e.g. the Huddod Ordinances, the Citizenship Act, etc.;
· Reforming the personal laws to meet the demand of current
socio-economic realities, and expediting the process of justice
in the family courts;
· Legislating to make sexual harassment specifically a crime;
· Amending laws on prostitution and trafficking of women
to provide harsher punishments to the offender;
5. WATER
Recognizing
that the lack of clean water is a denial of the citizen's basic
right to life, and is the most important demand of the rural women
of Pakistan, high priority will be given to the most important demand
of the rural women of Pakistan, high priority will be given to this
issue and local communities, especially rural women, will be involved
in the planning, management and maintenance of more accessible,
safe and reliable water systems.
6. CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP OF RESOURCES
Recognizing that legal ownership of assets and control over incomes
is a vital factor in women's economic independence at all levels,
steps will be taken to ensure that:
· Female-headed poor households, will be given priority in
allotment of all land-sites and housing schemes.
· The property inherited by women, particularly in the rural
areas will be registered in their names.
· Increasing women's access to ownership and control of assets,
particularly government-distributed land and property through the
registration of title-deeds of all state-lands allotted for lease
or home sites, jointly in the names of husband and wife, and in
case of female-headed households, to the primary earner.
7. AGRICULTURE
Recognizing that peasant women make a major contribution to all
agricultural work, steps will be taken to ensure that:
· Their contribution is recognized in national statistics
(by-developing separate) gender based surveys;
· They are provided extension and training about improved
methods of work and new technologies that will increase the output
of their work;
· Radio programmes for rural women, especially peasant women,
will be broadcast daily to provide them information relevant to
their work, health, nutrition and government programmes and services
for their benefit.
8. NGOs
AND EXPERTS IN WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT
Recognizing the importance of the contribution and expertise of
NGOs and other experts in women's development, efforts will be initiated
to:
· Involve them in all advisory and programme committees in
women's development issues e.g. the Social Action Programme;
· Build up the NGOs financial and operational capacity to
enable them to more effectively support Government efforts;
9. SPORTS FOR WOMEN
The Government
accepted the Iranian government's proposal in 1993 to stage the
Second Islamic Countries Women Sports Solidarity Games in Pakistan
in October 1997. Prior to the main event, mini games were held in
October 1996 as a dress rehearsal. Invitation to all the Muslim
countries have been extended and 25 countries have confirmed their
participation. The purpose of hosting the Islamic Women Games in
Pakistan was to generate healthy sports activity among women of
the country and to promote opportunities for women athletes to participate
in inter country competitions.
10.
CONTRIBUTION FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN TO THE ORGANIZATION
OF WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS FROM MUSLIM COUNTRIES (OWPMC)
Under the direct guidance of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan
convened the First Conference of Women Parliamentarians from Muslim
Countries (OWPMC) in August 1995 and offered to host the Organization's
Secretariat in Islamabad which has since been established.
11. INTEGRATION
As the over all policy, guideline, gender concerning will be fully
integrated into all social, economic and political activities of
the nation, with the special emphasis of removing all disparities
based on sex.
CHAPTER 9 - POPULATION
POPULATION
PLANNING
This is the gravest challenge for Pakistan. If Pakistani population
growth rate is not controlled, planned and reduced, all other efforts
to bring development, peace, prosperity, democracy and security
to our country will be negated.
In 1993 the PPP government inherited a galloping population growth
rate of 3.1%. This was the 4th highest growth rate in the world.
Pakistan had jumped from being No. 9 on the list of high population
countries to No. 7.
In 1993, serious and concerted efforts were undertaken to reduce
the population growth rate with large-scale funding, improvement
in the efficiency of the population welfare department and outlets,
mass mobilization, public awareness campaigns and a strong and sustained
political commitment at the highest level. The Peoples Government
succeeded in bringing down the growth rate from 3.1% in 1989 to
2.8% in 1996 under its blueprint announced in its first term. In
its second term, the Peoples Government announced a second blueprint
to reduce the population rate from 2.8% in 1994 to 2.6% in 1999,
while simultaneously reducing infant mortality rates. In recognition
of Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's efforts in this regard
were recognised by the World Health Organisation.
A. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE POPULATION WELFARE PROGRAMME
· A major reduction of population growth from 3.1% to 2.8%.
· Prime Minister's active, vocal & sustained support,
specially at the International Conference on Population and Development
at Cairo, in 1994 and at all national conferences, events and seminars;
· Highest level political support by Prime Minister, Chief
Minister's, Ministers and Parliamentarians given to this sector;
· Effective and large-scale mass media campaign for raising
awareness and reaching the target population;
· Direct participation of NGO's and private sector in providing
family planning services, specially through programmes such as social
marketing of contraceptives;
· All health outlets provided family planning services and
guidance;
· For the first time, a parliamentarians group on Population
& Development was established in National Assembly and in Provincial
Assemblies;
· Village based family planning workers increased from 2,500
in 1992 to 12,000 by 1996.
· Citizen's groups, professionals, religious scholars, literacy
teachers were involved in raising awareness about the urgent need
for family planning, the small family norm and the importance of
the girl-child.
B. POPULATION AGENDA FOR 1997-2002
· Reduce population growth rate from 2.8% in 1994 to 2.6%
by 1999 and 2.0% by 2005.
· Increase contraceptive prevalence rate from 22% in 1996
to 44% in 2002 and to 54% in 2005.
· Increase coverage for population services in urban areas
from 50% in 1996 to 100% in 2002, and in Rural areas from 40% in
1996 to 85% in 2002;
· Continue with the multi-pronged approach of high-level
political commitment, improving the delivery and access of family
planning services, involvement of health sector, private sector
community organizations, NGO's & focus on target population
of 18 years - 35 years;
· Promote mother & child care through the Lady Health
Workers programme, with special focus on survival & health of
children;
· Invite public institutions and social & religious leaders
in educating the people about the importance of adopting the small
family norm;
· Include population studies in all secondary school, institutes,
college, and university, curriculum;
· Encourage parliamentarians to become strong advocates of
population control;
· Improve training and service conditions of Family Planning
Workers;
· Provide incentives and awards for best family planning
workers.
CHAPTER 10 - CHILDREN & BONDED LABOUR
A. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE CHILD AND BONDED LABOUR SECTOR
1993-96
1. Made concerted efforts for active enforcement of laws against
child and bonded labour, such as the Employment of Child Labour
Act, 1991 and the Bonded Labour Abolition Act, 1992. Collaboration
and support of NGOs and international organization such as ILO,
IPEC and UNICEF was also sought. Despite the government's commitment
to eradicate child and bonded labour, the problem persisted as enforcement
of labour laws at the provincial level was sporadic and weak. The
provincial governments were repeatedly reminded to streamline the
implementation of the existing laws and to target areas where child
work force was engaged in hazardous occupations and working children
below the age of 12 were involved. The provincial governments in
Sindh and Punjab were advised to make efforts to implement the Bonded
Labour Abolition Act, 1992 for combating the heinous incidence of
bonded labour. The Peoples Government had the following achievements
in this sector:
· As a result of the continuous efforts of Benazir Bhutto's
Government over 4,500 inspections and raids were conducted to monitor
the conditions where children were working and to register cases
against violation of the employment of Child Labour Act, 1991;
· The number of Child Labour Inspectors was doubled;
· More than 2,500 prosecutors took place in a span of 2 1/2
years. This was the highest number of prosecution in the history
of Pakistan, followed by the highest ratio of convictions;
· In addition to strengthening the surveillance and enforcement
machinery the Peoples Government undertook a number of other measures
for reduction and eventual elimination of Child and Bonded Labour
through a rehabilitative approach;
· The Peoples Government set up a Child Labour Cell which
monitored the progress by the provincial governments and other agencies
in giving effect to measures to eliminate child and bonded labour;
· The Peoples Government signed a "Memorandum of Understanding"
with the ILO to join the IPEC programme aimed at a gradual elimination
of child labour;
· For the first time a survey was commissioned through the
Federal Bureau of Statistics to measure the magnitude of child labour
which was completed in Aug, 1996.
2. The Social Welfare and Special Education Division prepared a
project proposal in collaboration with the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mall
for setting up 35 rehabilitation centres in the areas of concentration
of child labour. The ILO and UNICEF agreed to provide financial
assistance for running this programme which aims at withdrawal of
child labour from work places, provision of primary education to
those in the age group of 9-14, stipends, medical care, and nutrition
to the enrolled student 14 Rehab. Centres were operating by Nov,
96. If the Peoples Government had completed its term, a total of
35 Rehab centres would have been established all over Pakistan.
3. In 1994, a Human Right Cell and in 1996, a full fledged Human
Rights Ministry was established to deal with violations of Abolition
of Bonded Labour Act, 1992, other Human rights violations specially
cases of violence against minorities and women, burn victim, rape
cases and violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The PPP government has been the only government in the history of
Pakistan to take concrete specific practical measures to combat
the terrible practice of Child Labour and Bonded Labour.
B. CHILD AND BONDED LABOUR AGENDA 1997-2002
It is estimated through deductive measures and through the finding
of the ILO survey that about 6 million children in Pakistan may
be engaged in some economic activity, mostly in agriculture, informal
sectors and hole-based industries. The prevalence of child and bonded
labour in Pakistan came under severe international scrutiny in the
past few years, accentuating negative propaganda. The benefits available
to Pakistan under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) in
its trade with the US were withdrawn. The threat of withdrawal of
these benefits in trade with the European countries continues in
the face of the complaint lodged by the International Confederation
of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) to the European Commission. Therefore,
the Peoples' Government if elected will ensure that child and bonded
labour issues are vigorously addressed, laws are strictly enforced
and Pakistan is liberated from the curse of child and bonded labour.
CHAPTER 11 - BIG CITY RENEWAL
A. BIG CITY ACHIEVEMENTS
In view of the lack of development and the near break down of social
services and infrastructure in major cities in Pakistan in 1995,
the Peoples Government launched a big city renewal programme. In
the first phase the Rs.121 billion Karachi package was launched.
In 1996 as part of the second phase of the Peoples Government Big
Cities Packages, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, approved a massive
package of Rs.28 billion million for development of the following
five big cities:
· Lahore
· Rawalpindi
· Gujranwala
· Faisalabad
· Multan
The work under these packages includes:
o drainage;
o sewerage;
o water supply;
o construction and improvement of transit systems, roads & bridges,
under passes, flyovers and by-passes;
o construction and modernization of educational and health facilities;
o provision of health equipment for hospitals;
o improvement and rehabilitation of distribution system of WAPDA/KESC;.
o construction and renovation of railway stations;
o expansion and development of gas network by SNGPL/SSGC;
o traffic management system;
o tree plantation;
o expansion of telecom network;
o low income housing schemes.
Implementation of these packages was ongoing when the Peoples Government
was dismissed. There was visible evidence of the positive effect
of these packages on the targeted cities.
B. BIG
CITY AGENDA 1997-2002
The Peoples Government promises to fully implement the Big City
Packages in full and by 1998, introduce similar packages for Hyderabad,
Sukkur, Gujrat, Sarghoda, Sahiwal, Rahimyar Khan, Bahawalpur, Peshawar
and Quetta.
CHAPTER
12 - PRIVATIZATION
A. PRIVATIZATION ACHIEVEMENTS 1993-96
The Peoples Government introduced for the first time in the history
of Pakistan the concept of privatisation in its 1988 Manifesto.
In 1989, it legislated a framework for privatisation, hired consultants
and undertook the first privatisation by selling shares to PIA.
However in 1993 the Peoples Government inherited a Privatization
Commission with inadequate technical and institutional capacity
for implementation of Privatization Agenda. There was lack of transparency
and perception of nepotism in the sale of industrial units. There
were charges of favouritism in the sale of Muslim Commercial Bank
and cement plants. The Privatization Commission lacked credibility
in the investor community and in the international market.
The privatization program of the Peoples Government was acclaimed
by the World Bank as one of the most organised and professional
in the Asia Pacific region. The Privatization Commission received
funds from the World Bank for technical assistance and upgrading
of its professional capability in the privatization process. The
Privatization Commission was re-structured and qualified technical
consultants were hired to improve the quality of work.
The Government took steps to protect those immediately affected
by the privatization process, namely:
1) Employees
2) Consumers
The Peoples
Government has always considered the workers as the back bone of
the economy. Employees were allowed to match the highest bid in
sales of industrial units. AC Wah one of the most modern cement
plants in Pakistan was given to the employees on that basis. The
Peoples Government believes that the employees must participate
in this nation building program. There were numerous complaints
by the labour on non-payment of golden hand shake and VSS by the
PML-N Government. In order to ensure that the workers were protected,
the Privatization Commission amended sale contracts so that the
benefit to the workers were guaranteed.
The employees of WAPDA had been vehemently opposing privatization.
It was one of the major success of the Peoples Government that they
agreed to the Government's privatisation program for power plants
and distribution networks. A comprehensive package of incentives
and protection for WAPDA employees was agreed. This provided comfort
to foreign investors and sent a message to the world investment
community that privatization policy of the Peoples Government has
the support of the workers of Pakistan.
The Peoples Government also established the regulatory framework
to protect consumers. The regulatory framework enables the Government
to check monopolist practices as well as to monitor prices. The
laws provide adequate protection to consumers and a clear framework
for operations to the private sector.
· For the Telecommunication sector, the Pakistan Telecommunication
Authority.
· For the power sector the National Electricity Power Regulating
Authority.
· For the gas sector the Gas Regulatory Authority.
NOTABLE
PRIVATIZATIONS 1993-96
PTC
· In 1994, the Government offered 11.6% in Pakistan Telecommunication
Corporation (PTC)
.
· In the first phase PTC Vouchers were offered in small tranches
for the benefit of small investors in Pakistan. The Government offered
one million PTC Vouchers worth Rs. 3 billion which represented 2%
of proposed share of PTCL, the price of PTC Voucher was fixed at
Rs. 30 per share carrying a premium of Rs. 20 per share over the
par value of Rs. 10. The public floatation was heavily over subscribed
to the tune of Rs. 19.17 billion. This was the biggest and most
successful public issue in the history of the stock market in Pakistan.
· The Government floated an additional 5 million PTC Vouchers
in the international market. The disinvestment of 5 million PTC
Vouchers was about 9.8% of the total share of PTC. The Government
fetched Rs 55 per share i.e. Rs.45 premium. The success of this
placement was acclaimed throughout the world.
POWER SECTOR (WAPDA)
· The Peoples Government amended the WAPDA Act allowing the
privatisation of WAPDA's thermal generation units and area electricity
boards.
· The first power plant privatized by the Peoples Government
met with astounding success. The Government sold 26% shares in the
Kot Addu Power station for $215 million which was much higher than
the expected price. The Peoples Government also transferred $750
million debt to the successful bidder.
B. PRIVATIZATION AGENDA 1997-1998
To complete
the privatisation of all government owned projects within two years
using the same transparent procedure as adopted for the PTC and
the Kot Addu transaction. The receipts of these sales will be earmarked
to retire public debt.
CHAPTER
13 - NATIONAL DEFENCE
No country can compromise on its defence capabilities and the Pakistan
Peoples party has been in the forefront of the struggle to safeguard
the country's territorial frontier. The Peoples Government of Quaid-e-Awam
gave the country the peaceful nuclear programme which is the sheet
anchor of our security umbrella.
A. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN DEFENCE 1993-1996
· The Peoples Government of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
saved the nuclear programme from unilateral rollback.
· The Peoples Government of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
established the Missile Board to combat the threat of Indian missile
technology
.
· The People Government of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
threatened to react if India detonated a nuclear device.
· The Peoples Government's diplomatic efforts resulted in
rapprochement with the worlds sole super power, the United States.
The Peoples Government's policies led to the Brown Amendment and
the release of vital military equipment to shore up Pakistan's defences
and provided the framework for the return of monies frozen in the
F-16 deal .
· Purchases of Agosta submarines and second hand mirage jets
and advance negotiations for the purchase of tanks from Eastern
Europe, despite deficit cuts, strengthened the armed forces.
B. AGENDA FOR DEFENCE 1997-2002
· Although it will be the People Government endeavor to bring
about reduction in defence expenditure through mutual armed reduction
treaty with India and better efficiencies within the armed forces,
the Peoples Government will fully support the modernization of the
armed services for effective defence against outside aggression.
Programmes for indigenization of the development of armaments through
improvement of technology will be fully supported.
· The Peoples Party believes that due to its pragmatic and
well respected foreign policy, it will be in a relatively far better
position to acquire any required armaments and technology required
for defence.
The Peoples Government will not unilaterally sign the NPT unless
there is a mutual agreement with India. However, the Pakistan Peoples
Party reiterates its firm policy and pledge to the international
community that nuclear technology will only be for peaceful purposes.
CHAPTER 14 - FOREIGN POLICY
When Peoples Government was dismissed on November 5, 1996, Pakistan's
prestige stood high in the world. Even the President had to grudgingly
admit the success of the Peoples Government foreign policy. However,
the removal of the Peoples Government has badly tarnished the image
of the country and the activities of the Caretakers have made the
country a laughing stock in the world community and led to the outside
world questioning the very viability of Pakistan.
In setting foreign policy goals and objective we must remember that
the cold war is over and that Pakistan must establish its own identity
and stand on its own feet. The crux of that identity is Muslim and
Asian in character. Pakistan must also rely on larger and better
economic ties with other countries as a long term basis of developing
relations with them.
The Peoples Government's foreign policy is based on the following:
· Resolution of the Kashmir issue remains our destiny;
· Our friendship with China remains the corner stone of our
Foreign Policy;
· Our historical identity as Muslims means special relations
with Muslim countries. The Peoples Government will counter anti
Islamic propoganda with Pakistan being the role model of an enlightened,
modern, progressive, moderate Islamic society;
· Being Asian we will be reaching out in particular to the
Gulf, Central and East Asia;
· Relations with the Japan , Korea and Malaysia need to be
strengthened;
· The growing tension in the Muslim World requires us to
help our friends, without taking sides, and should the need arise,
assist as a peace-keeping force in coordination with the United
Nations.
· Base our relations with Afghanistan and the Central Asian
Republics on strong economic ties and on the principle of non-interference.
· Relations with the USA, Russia and G7 countries will be
focused on the Kashmir dispute, trade and investment, combating
terrorism and narcotics;
· Iran remains of strategic importance to Pakistan;
· The stability of Saudi Arabia is essential to the stability
of the Gulf;
· Regional activities in CEO and SAARC will be promoted.
· Pakistan must establish strong political and economically
with South Africa and other fast developing African States.
The leaders of the Muslim World accepted the invitation extended
to them by the People Government on behalf of Pakistan to hold an
Islamic Summit in Pakistan in Pakistan's Golden Jubilee year. This
Summit is important to build consensus among Islamic States on political
and economic issues, like Kashmir and would have assisted Pakistan
in creating stronger economic ties with its Muslim brothers. The
People Party believes that the holding of the Summit is vital importance
to Pakistan's national interest.
CHAPTER 15 - MINORITIES
AGENDA FOR MINORITIES
· The right of dual vote be given to religious minorities
in order to ensure their participation in the national affairs until
the Assembly re-enacts the single vote and reserved seats for minorities
as envisaged by the Constitution of 1993;.
· Delimitation of NA/PA constituencies be effected in order
to bring the system at par with real democratic practices;
· Religious Minority Communities be represented in the Senate
of Pakistan;
· Laws, already enacted to threaten the members of religious
minority communities, shall be amended;
· In future, legislation, which may create misunderstanding
of any kind, among minority and majority communities, should not
be enacted;
· A minimum quota of 5% be reserved and fixed for ever, for
the students of minority communities, in professional colleges/universities/institutions.
Similarly minority students be given foreign scholarships for higher
studies;.
· A minimum quota of 5% be allotted to the minority communities
in the central and provincial services of Pakistan;
· Due share should be given to minorities in the housing
schemes;
· A special portion be earmarked in the grant of loans for
starting small businesses by the members of minorities.
CHAPTER 16 - ENVIRONMENT
The Peoples Government assigned high priority to environmental protection
and pollution control. It established a number of programmes to
combat environmental issues in an effective manner. The Peoples
Government upgraded the Environment Ministry with a full time Minister.
A comprehensive Environmental Protection Act introduced in 1996
established the authority of Environmental Protection Agency to
set and enforce National Environmental Quality Standards.
The Peoples Government placed afforestation at the top of its agenda.
During 1995-96 alone 72.9 million trees on 158,434 acres were planted
as part of Peoples Government's afforestation programme.
The tackle the problems of pollution and to educate the public of
its importance to Pakistan Environment Education was introduced
in schools and environmental education was fully disseminated through
radio and T.V. NGOs were fully supported in their environmental
programmes and the Government provided financial support for their
efforts.
The Pakistan Peoples Party renews and reiterates its commitment
to the environmental cause.
CHAPTER 17 - SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
· Research and Development for Science and Technology is
the cornerstone of the nation's future productivity and potential.
The Peoples Government undertakes:
· To actively and forcefully pursue the objectives set out
in the Technology Policy to promote innovative, indigenous and cheap
technology;
· A major restructuring of the S & T institutions at
the national and provincial levels with an aim to eliminate waste,
non-productive manpower, and to maximize resources, production of
indigenous machinery and processes to enhance industrial, and agricultural
production.
· All work undertaken in the S & T organizations will
be assessed on the basis of its practical and useful application
to national requirements and contribution to GDP.
· Performance will be the criterion for promotions and postings
and appointments in S&T institutions;
· Service structure will be in line with the particular requirements
of a professional cadre of scientists and technologists;
· Specific linkages will be established with the private
sector for promoting reverse engineering and responding to the needs
of the small and large scale entrepreneur;
· A percentage of the GNP will be allocated to R&D;.
· Top most priority will be given to the development of solar
energy and alternate renewable energy sources;
· High priority will be given to R& DT for preventing
soil erosion, developing bio-mass agro processes, preserving cultivable
lands, improving crop yield and variety.
CHAPTER 18 - CULTURE
Pakistan's Cultural heritage needs to be understood, preserved and
promoted to maintain our cultural identity. To ensure an organic
relationship between culture and development. We will provide conducive
environment for the growth and promotion of Pakistani Culture. In
order to fulfill this pledge the party will undertake the following
objectives:
· To preserve Pakistan's cultural heritage in all fields
such as literature, architecture, sports, music, dance folklore,
artifacts, performing arts, painting, crafts, movies, telephone
broadcasting and other fields related culture.
· To provide a free and healthy environment for the promotion
of all cultural activities at different levels of society.
· To channelize the thoughts and aspirations of our artists,
intellectuals, musicians, singers, poets, writers, artisans, architects,
stage and film and film artists, dancers, and other related with
cultural activities towards the process of national integration.
· To provide appropriate forums for training, education and
performance of different cultural activities and performing arts
at various levels.
· To eradicate the culture of violence, intolerance and fanaticism
through education and legislation.
· To develop multi-media and improve the entertainment programmes,
opening up new channels and introducing latest technologies in articulating
Pakistan's cultural activities on various forums.
· To seek a balance between our spiritual cultural and its
material dimensions.
· To inculcate quest for inquiry and research in application
of modern technology to our social and economic needs through critical
thinking and constructive reasoning.
· To highlight and develop the principles laid down by Islam
and the founding father of Pakistan in the promotion of our culture.
To ensure a healthy interaction with other cultures through cultural
exchange programmes, exhibitions, and international moots, especially
in South Asia.
LITERATURE
The rich heritage of Pakistani literature has not been fully disseminated
within the country as well as abroad. We will undertake the following
steps in order to promote literature:
· Literature in all languages of Pakistan will be encouraged,
published and disseminated.
· Under the auspices of the Academy of Letters an ambitious
plan of translating literature in Pakistani languages, national
language and in the languages of the United Nations will be printed
and through foreign missions and UNESCO its dissemination will be
made possible.
· Literary seminars will be held in order to highlight relationship
between literature, democracy and culture.
· A pool for endowment will be created to help those literary
figures who need assistance for publication of their works.
· Special Literary Awards will be instituted to honour distinguished
writers.
· Non-governmental literary societies will be encouraged,
patronized and supported in order to ensure healthy exchange of
ideas at all levels.
LANGUAGES
All languages of Pakistan deserves to be properly placed in the
realm of our linguistic traditions. Therefore to achieve this objective
following steps will be taken:
· Various languages spoken in Pakistan such as Pashto, Baluchi,
Brahvi, Punjabi, Seraiki, Dardic, Kashmiri, etc., will be development
and documented.
· A healthy relationship will be encouraged between these
languages and the national language of Pakistan.
· A linguistic survey of Pakistan will be commissioned which
will be completed by the Academy of Letters in order to give proper
recognition to various linguistic groups.
· Literature produced in the Pakistani languages will be
preserved, printed and disseminated through the help of various
literary societies as well as the Academy of Letters.
· A scientific process of teaching languages at various levels
of instruction will be maintained.
· A comprehensive catalogue of linguistic developments and
their relationship with culture and ethnicity will be compiled.
CONCLUSION
THE ROAD TO A STABLE DEMOCRACY
We realize that the transformation from absolute dictatorship to
stable democracy cannot be overnight. The system shall continue
to be threatened by vested interests, agents of foreign powers who
will take the advantage of different prejudices present in the society
and anomalies injected in the Constitution by the Dictator. It is
unfortunate that four successive elected governments have faced
dissolution.
The failure of political parties to reach consensus on vital issues
has been one reason. This has also resulted in politicizing other
institutions of the state, which do not have a political role. It
would be wrong to blame any particular political party. The failure
to reach a consensus among ourselves should better be called our
joint failure. But it is also heartening that political consciousness
about the need of protecting the will of the people against the
whims of an individual is fast growing.
Our loyalty to the country and to the democratic cause precedes
our loyalty to our respective political parties. Let us not think
like mere politicians. Let us think of the collective interests
of the people of Pakistan. Democracy provides us with a framework
to settle our political differences in periodic elections. It basically
works as a system which overcomes polarization and fragmentation
of society and unites the people. Let us think as statesmen.
We have remained in the opposition long enough to realize that in
Pakistan given situation the opposition needs genuine protections.
we are most keen to start a political dialogue with other representative
political parties to jointly frame measures which shall allow the
democratic system to work without impediments. These measures include
correcting the anomalies in the Constitution.
We reaffirm our deep commitment to our founding principles and the
sacred purpose for which the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party,
Chairman Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and other party cadre embraced
Shahadat. In spite of the fact that we had to tread a very difficult
path, our faith in the rights and the capabilities of our people
remains unshaken and as always we offer ourselves as the political
voice of the deprived, the disadvantaged and the discriminated.
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