LAHORE – Ahead of the general elections, Pakistan People’s Party on Saturday released a 29-point report about its five year term, highlighting its major achievements.
It makes special mention of the constitutional reforms particularly the 18th , 19th and 20th amendments which provided for provincial autonomy, transfer of presidential powers to the parliament, smooth installation of caretaker governments and striking down of president’s power to dissolve the assemblies.
Munir Ahmad Khan, incharge policy, planning and cell of the PPP, presented this report to the media at a press conference. He said that credit went to the PPP for ensuring independence granted to the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Khan also came up with a long list of important decisions and steps taken by the PPP government to mitigate sufferings of the people despite terrorism in the country.
In this regard, he made a special mention of record increase in wheat production, increase in salaries of govt servants five times in five years up to 158 per cent, disbursement of Rs70 billion among 75 lac deserving families through Benazir Income Support Scheme and financial help to 1,35,000 deserving people by Pakistan Baitul Mall through Sweet Homes.
On steps taken by the government for economic revival, Khan cited the Pak-Iran agreement on Gas Pipe Line, agreement with China on Gwadar Port, increase in foreign exchange reserves from 6 Billion US$ in 2008 to 16 Billion US$ in 2013, increase in export from 18 Billion US$ in 2008 to 29 Billion US$ in 2012, boost in stock market from 5220 points in 2008 to 18185 points in 2013 and reduction in interest rate from 17% in 2008 to 9 % in 2013. He believed that these measures would help improve the economy and ameliorate the lot of common man.
Talking about the measures taken to increase production of electricity, the PPP leader told reporters that PPP-led government added 3600 MW electricity in the system besides initiating additional development work on Mangla and Terbela Dam for increase of 4500 MW in the system. The previous government, he added, also got $3.5 billion for Basha Dam, iniated Neelum-Jhelum, Gomal and Satrpra Dams and Thar coal project to get electricity from coal to get electricity from air. He  stated the PPP also reinstated thousands of government servants who were dismissed during the last 13 years and also regularised thousands contract employees.