IT should be a matter of satisfaction for people of Pakistan that at long last the political parties, now having an opportunity to govern different provinces, are trying their hard to improve governance and deliver as per expectations of the masses. After a series of measures launched by the Punjab Government to ameliorate the lot of the people and people-friendly budget presented by the KP Government of PTI, now the PPP Government in Sindh has unveiled a five-year priority roadmap for the provincial government. The plan launched by PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari lays emphasis on implementation of solar energy initiatives, welfare of labourers, improvement in education, promotion of public-private partnership in mine and minerals sector, provision of modern and affordable transport facilities, ensuring law and order, rehabilitation of flood victims and immediate allocation of residential plot ownership rights to women from flood-affected families.
The speech delivered and the initiative launched by him clearly shows the PPP leader has a definite vision to mitigate sufferings of the people, who have become weary of politics of hatred and polarization, as also pointed out by Bilawal, and want those in power to shift their focus on resolution of their day-to-day problems. Bilawal Bhutto was, perhaps, the only leader, who carried out the election campaign diligently, spoke what people wanted to hear and now is taking practical measures to translate those pledges into realities. The roadmap announced by him definitely has the potential to address most of the problems of the people and improve their fate. The unbearable electricity and gas tariffs are priority concerns of the people and with this in view the Sindh Government is launching a viable solar power development programme aimed at offering people an opportunity to bring down their electricity bills significantly. The provincial government is convinced that this is a viable option to resolve the energy sector crisis and that is why it has conveyed to the Federal Government in clear-cut term that no tax on solar power would be allowed and that incentives should be given for solarization by households. The PPP promised to the people free electricity up to a certain limit during electioneering and the Chief Minister has already launched a programme that could help realize this objective. The party is seen favourably by workers and the government employees as it always cared for their welfare including pay raise and job protection. The provincial government deserves credit for taking a lead in announcing and implementing a minimum wage even higher than the one announced by the Federal Government and other provinces. It is also a reality that no nation can progress and prosper without due focus on education and therefore, the inclusion of this sector in the priority road map of the PPP is an appreciable move. It is, however, to be seen what practical measures the provincial Government will take to promote this otherwise neglected sector. A lot needs to be done to improve the quality of education in the public sector educational institutions as well as provision of missing facilities especially establishment of science and computer labs. Apart from primary and secondary education, we hope, a programme would be announced for establishment of quality institutions of higher learning with focus on research and development as well as linkages with the industry. The Government cannot implement its welfare agenda in the absence of peace and security and therefore, Bilawal has rightly included law and order in the priority list of his party’s provincial government for the next five years. A well-coordinated campaign needs to be carried out to tackle street crimes in urban Sindh and dacoits in the interior Sindh. The Chairperson of PPP has also done well by advising elected representatives of the party to focus more on resolution of the difficulties being faced by people, rather than wasting energy on politics of postings and transfers. It would be worthwhile, if area-specific problems of each constituency are identified and elected representatives held accountable if those remain unresolved beyond a clearly laid timeline.
