PESHAWAR: Secretary General Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari has said that his party will contest the forthcoming general elections on its electoral symbol and field its own candidates in all constituencies.
Addressing a public meeting held in connections with the joining of a potential electable candidate, Mian Rashid Ali Shah, his family and associates in the PPP at district Nowshera on Sunday, he said that no doubt they are part for the present coalition government, but not part of their political alliance.
Others who addressed on the occasion included acting provincial president PPP KP Minister of State, Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha, president PPP Peshawar Division, Liaquat Shabab, Gohar Inqilabi, Shah Zulqarnain and Mian Rashid Ali Shah Kakakhel.
The PPP secretary general said that the party has its own manifesto, which was given by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the general elections of 1970 based on the slogan of Roti, Kapra aur Makan that represented the feelings of workers and deprived classes of the society.
Nayyar Hussain Bukhari accused the PTI chief of exploiting Pakhtuns and not fulfilling the promise of the provision of 10 million jobs or the construction of 5 million houses. He said the moral conditions of Imran have proved him of having all elements of hypocrites in him.
He held the previous government of Imran Khan responsible for the prevailing price hike in the country. However, its arresting is the responsibility of the present government.
Bukhari, who is also former Chairman Senate, recalled the performance of the PPP government during the period of 2008-2013 when the country was self-sufficient in wheat.
He said that through passing the 18th constitutional amendment, the then PPP government not only increased the resources of the small provinces in the federal divisible pool but also gave identity to the province through renaming it as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Furthermore, he said that then Asif Ali Zardari-led PPP government had given National Finance Commission (NFC) Award after a long time and changed the criteria for distribution of the federal divisible pool of the national resources to increase the shares of the small provinces.
He said that before that NFC Award, the criteria of the distribution of national resources was only on the basis of population, but the PPP government distributed the national resources on the basis of population, poverty and area, which increased the share of the provinces, which benefited small provinces to a larger extent.
He said that PPP is the representative of the working and middle class and it increased the salaries of the government employees by 150% and pension of the retired employees by 100%. Therefore, he urged them to vote and express trust in PPP to give it another opportunity of serving the nation.
Addressing the public meeting, acting provincial president PPP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Minister of State, Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha said that the benefits of the steps taken by the present federal government will come into the forefront in next four to five months.
He said that the country is facing prevailing economic situation and inflation due to the bad policies of the previous PTI government, saying that had the present government not assumed the power then the situation would have become further worsened.
The PPP stalwart termed political stability inevitable for economic stability and added that till acknowledgement of the situation by the PTI chief, the situation in the country will not show improvement. He accused the PTI chairman of revolving his politics around his own petty interests, which has declared bearing beating for the sake of Zaman Park as sole qualification for getting PTI ticket in next general elections.
He said that it is highly unfortunate that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have supported a politician, who himself is taking rest in his drawing room and seeking sacrifices from his political workers. He said that genuine statesmen always lead from the front and never hide from arrest.
Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha said that PTI during its one-decade long rule in the province have committed record corruption and rendered the public exchequer empty.
He urged the PPP workers to set aside their differences and join hands for strengthening of the party and revives its lost glory. He was confident that after the coming general elections PPP will form government in the country.
He welcomed Mian Rashid Ali Shah Kakakhel, his family and associates into the party fold and assured them that they will never be disappointed by the PPP leadership.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023