SHAHEED BENAZIRABAD/NAWABSHAH  -  Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Monday termed the economic cri­sis, climate breakdown and growing population as a challenging situation for the nation and claimed that we would turn our difficulties into opportunities. “Prob­lems can be solved by work­ing together and utilising the country’s resources,” he said while addressing the annual function of Bakhta­war Cadet College for Wom­en as Chief Guest. 

The PPP Chairman said that the future of the coun­try is the youth of Pakistan. He said that “if the politics of division, hatred and abuse are buried”, Pakistan’s problems can be solved. “Pakistan is currently facing many difficulties,” he said, adding that on the one hand there are threats caused by the economic crisis and climate change, on the other hand there is the pressure of prob­lems arising due to the grow­ing population in the country.

He said that the ideology of Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zu­lfikar Ali Bhutto, ‘Roti, Kapra Aur Makan’, is as much needed today as it may not have been before. He said that due to climate change, our region is under threat due to the melt­ing of snow in the Himalayan range, and added: “in the years to come, there will be floods first and after some time (as the snow melts in the Hima­layan range) the people here will suffer from thirst.” He said that Pakistan is the fifth largest country in the world in terms of population. “70% of our population consists of youth, whose needs include education, employment and health,” he added.

While discussing the solu­tions to the problems facing the country, he said that the incoming government will first have to take responsibil­ity to double the salaries to fight inflation during its five-year term. 

“Pakistan is an agricultural country, and we all know that if the farmers are prosperous, the whole of Pakistan will be prosperous,” he said, add­ing that PPP intends to take measures for the prosperity of farmers across Pakistan. The PPP government will intro­duce Kisan Card for farmers, Mazdoor Card for laborers and Youth Card for youth. He said that instead of giving the sub­sidy of billions of rupees to the mill owners through the said cards, the funds will direct­ly reach the backward work­ing classes. “The first right to workers in Pakistan was given by the Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfiqkar Ali Bhutto,” he re­called.

Bilawal Bhutto said that provision of education and employment opportunities by the government is the right of the youth, adding that vo­cational training facilities will be provided to the youth along with financial support through Youth Card and Youth Centres. He vowed that youth centres will be established in every district with digital library, free Wi-Fi facility, vocational training and career counseling as well as cultural and sports facilities, adding that steps will be taken at the govern­ment level for the employment of Pakistani youths abroad. “(From the time of the foreign ministry term) I have also started working in this regard and have also spoken to Japan and Europe,” he said.

He said that health facili­ties are the right of every cit­izen, and money should not be a barrier to treatment, and added: “under this ideology we have built institutions like NICVD and Gambat Hospital.” He said that the revolution in the health sector that has come in Sindh, he wants to spread it all over Pakistan, adding that because we have demonstrat­ed this in Sindh, we can pro­vide similar facilities in other parts of the country.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that if the PPP is successful in the upcoming elections due on February 8 next year, then its government will build the development projects across the country keeping in view the climate changes. He urged the nation, saying: “we have to explain to the world that in the situation caused by climate change, Pa­kistan’s role is at the forefront of the war. Pakistan’s share in these factors is not even one percent, which are the cause of climate change.”

He said that the PPP govern­ment established after win­ning the election will establish energy parks at the district level under public-private partnership and free electric­ity will be provided to poor families using up to 300 units per month.

He also said that Pakistan has so many resources that the problems faced by the na­tion can be solved. “Babus (bu­reaucracy) of Islamabad say that there is not enough funds in the country, but let me tell you that from where we can save money and spend it on the welfare of public,” he said, adding that the incoming PPP government will abolish these 17 ministries in the Centre, which are not constitution­ally required after the 18th Amendment. He pointed out that by closing those 17 minis­tries in the Centre, Rs 300 bil­lion can be saved annually and such money could be spent on the development and welfare of the people. “If traditional politics of division and hatred are left aside and joint efforts are made, then the destiny of the country can be changed,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhu­tto Zardari was received by Chairman of the Board of Gov­ernors of the educational in­stitution Vice Air Chief Khalid Mehmood and Principal Dr. Farida Sheikh on his arrival at Pakistan’s first women’s cadet college, the Bakhtawar Cadet College. During the ceremo­ny Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was presented Guard of Honour by the third badge of Bakhtawar Cadet College. On this occasion, former Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and former Sindh Health Min­ister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho also accompanied by Chair­man Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

GENERAL ELECTIONS TO BE HELD IN TIME: ASIF ZARDARI

The future of Pakistan is bright and the Prime Minis­ter of Pakistan would be from PPP, this was stated by Pres­ident PPPP and former Presi­dent of Pakistan Asif Ali Zard­ari while talking to the media during the visit of Returning Officer office for scrutiny of his nomination form filed for NA-207 Nawabshah.

He was accompanied by Ad­vocate Farooq Naik, former provincial minister of law Ziaul Hassan Lanjar and other party leaders. Later the nomi­nation form of Asif Ali Zardari was approved by the Return­ing Officer after scrutiny. 

Asif Zardari said that Paki­stan Tehreek-e-Insaf should work hard this time to learn as they came to power last time without any labour. Zardari said the hopes of the nation are linked with PPP and the fu­ture of PPP is very bright. 

Zardari was confident that the general elections would be held in time. He said that earlier all political parties were in PDM and now they are contesting in individual status but the future of PPP is bright and would form the government.