PPP ~ Development projects and modernisation of Sindh

[Qalandari]

Dude, Tum kahin Bilawal ya Zardari tu nahi ho?

NOPE.

 

[Sugarcane]

NOPE.

Rehman Malik?

 

[Qalandari]

Rehman Malik?

NOPE.

 

[Qalandari]

Sindh govt. to set up women police desk at each PS: Rubina

HYDERABAD: Sindh Minister for Women Development, Rubina Saadat Qaimkhani has said that the Sindh government will establish female police desk at each police station to address the issues of women living in the province.

She further said that the issues of women have witnessed a rise in the province due to low literacy rate and non-awareness among them about various problems including their health care.

She said this while addressing a press conference at Circuit House Hyderabad on Friday after attending a Khuli Katchery (Open Court) to hear issues of general public especially women and resolve them. The Katchery was held at Matiari-about 16 kms from here.

Female police constables will be deputed at the desk to hear the issues of women and resolve them on the spot, Qaimkhani said.

"On the direction of leadership of PPP, we have started to hold a series of Khuli Katcheries in different district of the province where the issues of people are being heard and efforts are being made to resolve them," she said.

During such activities, various issues of women have emerged and majority of them are related to education and health, she said adding that government is making all efforts to resolve those issues.

Besides, the issues of cleanliness of cities was raised during the "open court," she said adding the directions were issued on spot to concerned officials to readdress this problems.

Aside from this, the youth sought employment in various organisations and the government already gave a priority to providing jobs to people in the province, she said.

In reply to a question over the issue non-payment of 9-month salaries to department's employees, she said that the issues had been taken up with finance department and it would be resolved soon.

She said that the government has prioritised the issue of law and order over all other issues because an improvment of law and order situation would boost the economy of the country.

Sindh govt. to set up women police desk at each PS: Rubina

 

[Bratva]

Spending bonanza: PPP spent Rs125b to win votes. It failed

By Zahid Gishkori / Creative: Aamir Khan

Published: March 14, 2015

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Through a review of government documents and background interviews, The Express Tribune has found the scale of the PPP’s attempts to win the affections of voters, and the monumental futility of its efforts. The Rs125 billion spent by PPP and their coalition partners ostensibly on development projects during their five years in office is nearly four times larger than the Rs33.8 billion spent by all lawmakers in the preceding 23 years (1985-2008) combined. And yet, six out of the 10 most profligate spenders for the PPP were voted out of office.

A look at the record suggests that there was, at best, massive impropriety and negligence in record-keeping with these development funds, if not outright embezzlement.

A total of 5,212 projects were initiated at the behest of lawmakers in their constituencies, and were authorised by prime ministers Yousaf Raza Gilani and his successor Raja Pervez Ashraf, between 2008 and 2013, worth a collective Rs125 billion. Of these, there is absolutely no financial or other record for 1,930 projects, worth Rs20 billion. In a majority of cases, government rules on awarding contracts were not followed, leading to allegations of corruption.

Of the projects commissioned, 1,823 (35%) were never completed, with some having a progress rate of less than 9%. And the Public Works Department as well as the Auditor General of Pakistan conducted special audits on only 330 projects, and even that on orders from the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The government’s top financial watchdog failed to conduct any audits on 1,930 (37%) projects.

The distribution of the projects reflects how desperate the PPP leadership was to use development funding to retain its political foothold in Punjab. Of the Rs125 billion total spending, Rs59.5 billion went to Punjab, Rs31 billion to Sindh, Rs19 billion in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Rs8.7 billion in Balochistan, Rs7.3 billion in the tribal areas and Rs500 million in Islamabad.

The spending spree continued on 696 projects even after an order from the apex court to cease such spending in the run-up to the 2013 elections. The Supreme Court ruled that if spending is solely at the discretion of the prime minister or the chief minister of a province, such spending is unconstitutional. In its 38-page judgment in the suo motu case in 2013, it ordered the government to set an objective criteria for approving development projects.

Wasim Sajjad, a lawyer for former PM Raja Pervez Ashraf, appeared to disagree with the Supreme Court’s ruling. “Parliament is the supreme body. If it gives powers to the head of government to releasing discretionary funds, then it is legal,” he said.

The practice of allowing lawmakers to allocate development spending in their constituencies exists in many parts of the world and was only recently banned in the United States, where it is known as ‘earmarking’, or less charitably, ‘pork barrel spending’. The practice was introduced in Pakistan in 1985, under the supposedly non-partisan Parliament of president Ziaul Haq and prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo, said former law minister SM Zafar.

Ahmad Bilal Mahboob, president of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), said that such discretionary funds have “remained a source of blackmailing to members of Parliament. There should be a local government system in place for spending on such public projects, or at least a parliamentary committee, like India has, to oversee smooth running of these projects.”

 

[Bratva]

The idea of constituency-level development projects being given to local governments is a popular one. Nadeem Afzal Gondal of the PPP, who lost his election in Sargodha in 2013 despite spending Rs1 billion, admitted that as many as 40% of the projects in his constituency were not completed. “Look, the existing mechanism for releasing funds to lawmakers promotes corruption in politics. The government should execute the Peoples Works Programmes through a local government system,” he said.

Some lawmakers claim that people were able to get money for fake development projects in their names. One such example is Nasir Shah of the PPP from Quetta who confirmed to The Express Tribune that “two agents took more than Rs2 million by getting fake projects approved using my name. I’ve approached the National Accountability Bureau to begin investigations.”

Other lawmakers glibly refused to comment. Maulana Fazlur Rahman and his brother Attaur Rahman of the JUI-F spent a collective Rs1.03 billion in development spending and provided no details of what they spent the money on and failed to cooperate with government auditors investigating their projects in fiscal 2012. When contacted about the projects, the JUI-F chief declined to comment.

Similarly, Firdous Ashiq Awan of the PPP (Sialkot), who is under investigation for her spending of Rs1.1 billion on development projects, also declined to comment.

Jamshed Dasti, formerly of the PPP and currently an independent MNA from Muzaffargarh, used up Rs1 billion on 37 projects and did not provide a single report to the government about those projects. He claimed that the 30% of the projects not completed in his constituency were due to the government’s refusal to disburse funds on time.

Fehmida Mirza, former speaker of the National Assembly, used upto Rs1.1 billion but did not provide any details of the projects to the finance ministry. Neither did Faryal Talpur and her husband Munawwar Talpur, who used up Rs1.2 billion for both their constituencies.

Arbab Alamgir and his wife Asma Alamgir, who are facing a NAB investigation for accumulating wealth ‘beyond known sources of income’, consumed Rs1.1 billion under this programme. Both, however, failed to furnish details about their projects and declined to comment.

 

[Bratva]

Former Punjab Chief Minister Manzoor Wattoo and his son Khurram, who consumed Rs1.5 billion, admitted that only 70% of the work on their projects could be completed. Manzoor Wattoo, however, dodged the question when asked why some of his planned projects were stopped by auditors. “Development schemes should not be politicized; however, I can say by and large 80% of the work is fair,” he told The Express Tribune.

 

[Qalandari]

PPP Government’s Past Achievements

1988-90

Land Reforms

• Distributed 35000 acres of land among the landless peasants. Each farmer was given 12.5 acres of land. The landlords challenged the land reforms in Supreme Court and because of court intervention the hand reforms were temporarily halted.
• More than five hundred political workers, who were economically destroyed by the Zia regime because of their struggle for democracy, were given small residential plots on official rates.

Housing

• Arrangements were made to build 2000 two-room small houses for homeless in every big city.
• One thousand small houses were built in Karachi and handed over to homeless at a price of 30,000 each payable in small easy instalments.

Labour Reforms

• Ban was immediately lifted on trade union activities.
• Forty thousands industrial workers previously sacked were reinstated.
• Labour wages were increased twice.
• Labours were awarded share in the income of their enterprise.
• Decision was taken to build labour colonies in every industrial city.
• Labours were given the right of pension after retirement.

Health

• It was decided to establish government dispensaries in every Union Council.
• Admission and bed fees forced upon during Zia’s regime were abolished.

Education

• For the very first time in the history of Pakistan, in the budget of 1989-90 the amount allocated for education was increased.
• The education budget was again increased in 1990-91.
• Fifty thousand new teachers were employed.
• Education made compulsory upto 8th class.
• Importance was given to technical and scientific education.

Youth Policy

• Ban on students unions was lifted immediately so that the youth can get training and develop discipline and achieve organisational expertise during their college years.
• To address the problems of youth a separate ministry for youth affairs was established.
• 80 thousands new literacy centres were set up throughout the country.

Women Affairs

• Ten thousands young people were given loans of 50 thousands each to start their own businesses.
• Very first time a separate ministry for women affairs was established to solve their problems.
• Women Bank was established.
• Women were given loan facility to start their own businesses.
• Computer centres for women were started in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

Water & Power

• Electricity was supplied to 4 thousand Villages in twenty months, which is a record.
• Electricity supplied to more than 12 lac houses.
• Private sector was encouraged and 1 billion $ investment from private sector was arranged for electric generation.
• Ghazi Brotha and Neelam Jhelum projects (1 thousand Mega Watts) were initiated.
• To overcome the energy problem an agreement was signed with China for the supply of a 300 MW nuclear Power Plant.

Communication & Production

• Built a Satellite Station connecting Skardu, Gilgit and Gawadur with Islamabad.
• Microwave channel was built to connect Karachi and Peshawar.
• 600 new post offices were opened.
• Port Qasim was extended.
• Pakistan Steel Mills was extended and its productivity increased.
• Employment of 5000 workers were secured by restarting Baluchistan Textile Mills.
• Millat Tractors was extended and its productivity increased from 12000 tractors per year to 18000 tractors per year.
• A new plant of Suzuki Cars was constructed.
• The lines for 1,50,000 new telephone connections were placed.
• 18 cities were connected via direct dialling system.

Oil & Gas

• 30% increase in production of oil and gas.
• Work started to build a refinery.

Industry

• Rupees 3.88 billion petrochemical project started.
• An assembly plant of Toyota Hi Ace, Jeeps and Cars was started.
• Loan facilities were extended for establishing small industrial units.
• Limits for investment without government approval, was increased.

Defence

• Two Frigates were handed over to Pakistan Navy.
• Pakistan started indigenous aircraft production.
• New sophisticated radar system started operation.
• Acquired sixty F-16 Planes.

Freedom of Press & Expression

• Press laws aimed at censorship lifted.
• Journalists terminated from service during Martial Law regime were reinstated.
• No objection certificate for journalists to travel abroad was abolished.
• Employees of Radio and Television were reinstated.

Religious Services

• An international Secret Conference was held.
• The numbers of Pilgrims were increased in 1989. The new Haj Policy was adopted and over 1 lacs people were sent to perform Haj in 1990.
• 2 Secret Conferences were held.
• Haj flights were initiated from Lahore and Islamabad.

Miscellaneous

• Conference of the Heads of States of SAARC was held in Islamabad.
• China announced to extend an interest free loan of 5 crore dollars.
• Pakistan rejoined the Common Wealth.
• Relations with India normalised and an agreement of no attack on nuclear installations was signed.
• Russia approved 1 billion dollar for extension of Karachi Steel Mills.
• A separate ministry was established for eradication of drug smuggling.
• Big drug traffickers were arrested and put behind bars.
• South Asian Games were successfully held.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


1993-96

Development

• Built 21,000 primary schools.
• Provided 700,000 new telephone connections.
• Electricity to 18,000 villages.
• Airport at Sehwan Sharif.
• Airport at Gawadur.
• Work on Ketti Bandar Port started.
• Construction of Akra Dam providing safe drinking water to the coastal regions of Mehran.

Foreign Policy

• For the first time the OIC summit at Casablanca adopted a unanimous resolution asking for a solution of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions.
• Adoption of Brown Amendment which partially released the military equipment and hardware stuck up in the US since long due to Pressler Law.

Law & Order

• Peace in Karachi. A near end to terrorism acknowledged by friends and foes alike.

Defence

• Agosta submarines for the Pakistan Navy.
• Tanks for the Army.
• Missile capability developed which was to be announced as the Golden Jubilee gift to the Nation on August 14,1997.

Energy

• An end to the load shedding by enlisting the private sector in power development sector through a uniform policy of tariffs and concessions hailed by the World Bank as a model for the developing countries.
• Completion of the first private sector power plant, HUBCO.
• Our 11000 kilometers of gas transmission line completed to provide gas to 240 new towns and villages.
• Oil and gas exploration stepped up. As a result four new oil and gas wells discovered.

Communication

• Laying of the optic fiber along with right bank of Indus.
• Introduced cellular telephones, digital pager, satellite dish and FM Radio.

Social Sector

• Countrywide Polio Vaccination Programme-Nearly 100 percent children under the age of five vaccinated against Polio in three years.
• A large number of Computer Centres opened – Special centers for women
• Recruitment of 33,000 Lady Health Visitors to reduce infant mortality.

Legislation/Northern Areas

• Electoral reforms bill adopted for the first time.
• For the first time people of Northern Areas given the right to vote.

Women Development

• First time Women Police Stations set up, Women Bank opened and Women Judges appointed in superior judiciary.

Media

• Complete press freedom.
• Sixth Wage Board award announced for the newspaper workers. The award was also implemented in the APP.

Finance

• For the first time since independence, Cabinet members were forbidden to take loans from Pakistani Banks.
• State Bank of Pakistan made an autonomous organisation.
• For the first time one billion dollars of debt retired.
• From a dismal growth rate of 2.3% in 1992-93 which it inherited, the PPP government raised the economic growth to 5.2% in 1995-96. The growth rate plunged to 3. I % in 1996-97 after the removal of PPP government, a figure further lowered to 1.3% in the budget.
• Fiscal defcit in the last year of PPP government i.e.1995-96 brought down to 5%, from 8% of GDP which it had inherited.
• Tax revenue which were only 7.2% of GDP in 92-93 was raised to 14. I % of GDP in 1995-96. Last year the tax to GDP ratio again fell to 10.2%.
• Due to investment-oriented policies, more than 3 billion dollars of direct foreign investment flowed into the country. As against this the present government has scared away foreign investment through its mishandling of the IPP issue and freeze on foreign currency accounts.
• A day before the PPP government was dismissal, the stock index was at 1500 points. It sank to 900 points in August 98.

Welfare

• Haj flights from Multan and Sukkur.
• Tens of thousands of jobs provided to the educated but unemployed youth in government departments, banks, corporations and autonomous bodies.

Anti Narcotics

• Effective anti-narcotics measures and legislation adopted for the first time.
• Half a dozen major drug barons extradited.
• Death penalty and confiscation of property provided in the law for drug pushers.

Achievements of Mohtarma Bhutto government in advancing Women Rights
1. In 1993, Mohtarma Bhutto’s Government subscribed to the Vienna Declaration which recognized women’s rights as human rights.

2. In 1994, led by her, Pakistan’s delegation actively participated in the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo and acceded to its Programme of Action reaffirming the principles of gender equality and equity, the empowerment of women, guaranteeing women’s right to development and her reproductive rights and eradication of poverty.

3. She also led the delegation to the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in September 1995 and presented a report of strong commitments to women’s rights and development.
The Platform for Action and the declaration as adopted in the conference focused on the critical areas of concern for women and outlined an action-oriented strategy for the solution of their problems. Affirming its commitment to women’s uplift, the Government under premier Bhutto in collaboration with donors initiated a process of setting up Beijing Follow-up mechanisms throughout the country. To facilitate post Beijing activities a Beijing Follow up Unit was set up in the Ministry of Women Development and one each in the Women Development Departments of the four provinces.
4. In February 1996, Pakistan ratified the United Nations’ Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); this was a major achievement of the People’s Party government on international covenants pertaining to the rights of women.

5. Restoration of Women seats in National and Provincial Assemblies. The Government was ready to move an amendment for this when it was dismissed.

6. Five percent quota in for women in Employment was fixed in all Government departments.

7. Crisis Centre for Women in distress. – The Government set-up “Crisis Centres for women in Distress” in Islamabad and at Vehari. These were pilot projects which aimed at providing medical and legal aid to the women victims of violence. The 24 hour centres were by NGOs. The Management Committee comprised NGOs and Government Servants. Teams of volunteer Doctors, Lawyers and Social Workers were associated with the Centres to help women in distress. The PPP Government expanded the program to other urban and rural areas.

8. Muslim Women’s Parliamentary Union was formed. This was a path breaking initiative and brought together women parliamentarian from 21 Muslim Countries. The first meeting was held in Islamabad and the second in Malaysia.

9. A Women’s Sports Board was established to promote women’s participation in sports and prepare Pakistani Women athletes for international competitions. The First Islamic Women’s Games were held in Pakistan.

B. INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING FOR POLICY PLANNING AND IMPLEMENT:

Thirteen focal point were designated in various Ministries, Divisions for a systematic Gender Sensitization Training Programme for officers of various Ministries in the Federal Government and also Provincial Departments to improve upon the existing process of identification, planning, implementation and performance evaluation of women’s programmes and projects. The objective was to strengthen the role of the Ministry and simultaneously bring about substantial improvement in women’s share in public sector employment and training.

Non-Development Budget and Utilization. The years 1993-96 on an average reflect an increase of 42.78% over allocations of 1991-92 and 1992-93.

The year 1994-96 on an average reflect an increase of 92.70% as compared to the allocations to 1993-94.

Public Sector Development Programme:

• Medical Technical Assistants (MTA). Her government launched Training Programmes for Girls to Provide Skills for marketable jobs at Institute of Public Health Lahore, at D.H.O Hospital, Sargodha, at Institute of Nursing and Health Sciences Sheikh Zaid Post-Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore, at B.V. Hospital Bahawalpur, at DHQ. Hospital, Jehlum, at National Hospital, Karachi, at Hayat Shaheed Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, and at Abbottabad.
• To provide support to mothers at work, Day Care Centre were established at Government College for Women, T. T. Singh (under Umbrella Project), at Women Development Social Welfare and Special Education, F.G. Girls Colleges in Cantt/Garrisons.
• Computer Training Centre at Jhang, Islamabad.
• Establishment of Hostel for Working Women at Gujranwala, Hyderabad and Sukkur, Quetta.
• Women Training Institute at Sahiwal.
• Construction of 50 Rooms Women’s Hostel at Lahore.
• Establishment of Mobile Hospital for T.B and Gynae Women Patients, at Raheem Yar Khan.
• Rearing and Development of Silk Worm Realing and Weaving of Silk Thread for Rural Women in Sindh.
• Strengthening of Training of Women Folk in Fruit and Vegetable Production and Preservation, NWFP.
• Construction of Maternity Home with Equipment at Mensehra.
• Setting up of Six Community Centres at Islamabad.
• Women Income Generating Scheme in ICT.
• Creation of Additional Women Mobile Civil Protection Training Teams at Islamabad.
• MSc Women’s Studies, at Allama Iqbal University, Islamabad.
• Centre of Excellence for Women Studies Islamabad, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar.

WOMEN DEVELOPMENT

1. The focus was in on improving education of women, expanding their health facilities and providing openings for their income generation; removal of discrimination in education and employment and better information on women’s issues, on their rights and responsibilities; and increasing participation of women in employment.

2. Special efforts were made to improve women’s education skill and employability. These included (i) expanding education and training facilities for women; (ii) opening up avenues of their employment in all walks of life; (iii) reservation of special quota in public sector jobs (iv) creation of congenial atmosphere in offices and factories, and (v) removal of sex bias in employment. Facilities and incentives were extended for self-employment and development of cottage industries.

3. 38,000 women benefited through the specialized training facilities to be provided at the provincial and federal levels. Women’s participation in the fields of agriculture, livestock development poultry/fisheries was facilitated. Access to credit facilities was increased.

4. During the three years (1993-96) of the PPP Government, programmes included.

• Vocational training programme in the field of secretariat work, computers, communications.
• Various small projects for women like community welfare centres, dispensaries, eye units, gyne wards, day care centres, industrial home and women cooperative, darul falah.
• Enhancing women employment avenues.
• Increasing women literacy rate.
• Encouraging NGO’s to participate in the welfare programmes of women.
• Appointment of female judges in judiciary.
• Setting up of women’s development departments in the provinces.
• Up-gradation of women’s studies centres at five major universities to full-fledged departments.
• Setting up of police stations for women (staffed exclusively by women).
• A human rights ministry was formed to watch and investigate into human rights abuses, particularly those against women. Relief was provided for victims of abuses through the newly created measures for victims of abuses like legal aid centres and burn units in hospitals. A National Committee on women was set up to articulate women’s concerns with special emphasis on political representation and violence against women.

 

[Qalandari]

Khairpur Medical College construction nearing completion (to be inaugurated soon)

 

[Qalandari]

School and road inaugurated at M. Khan Baghrani, Qasimabad, Hyderabad

 

[Kabira]

Former Punjab Chief Minister Manzoor Wattoo and his son Khurram, who consumed Rs1.5 billion, admitted that only 70% of the work on their projects could be completed. Manzoor Wattoo, however, dodged the question when asked why some of his planned projects were stopped by auditors. “Development schemes should not be politicized; however, I can say by and large 80% of the work is fair,” he told The Express Tribune.

There are also corruption charges against manzoor watto cousin Nasir Chattha lol corrupt family

 

[Qalandari]

PPP Government’s Past Achievements

1988-90

Land Reforms

• Distributed 35000 acres of land among the landless peasants. Each farmer was given 12.5 acres of land. The landlords challenged the land reforms in Supreme Court and because of court intervention the hand reforms were temporarily halted.
• More than five hundred political workers, who were economically destroyed by the Zia regime because of their struggle for democracy, were given small residential plots on official rates.

Housing

• Arrangements were made to build 2000 two-room small houses for homeless in every big city.
• One thousand small houses were built in Karachi and handed over to homeless at a price of 30,000 each payable in small easy instalments.

Labour Reforms

• Ban was immediately lifted on trade union activities.
• Forty thousands industrial workers previously sacked were reinstated.
• Labour wages were increased twice.
• Labours were awarded share in the income of their enterprise.
• Decision was taken to build labour colonies in every industrial city.
• Labours were given the right of pension after retirement.

Health

• It was decided to establish government dispensaries in every Union Council.
• Admission and bed fees forced upon during Zia’s regime were abolished.

Education

• For the very first time in the history of Pakistan, in the budget of 1989-90 the amount allocated for education was increased.
• The education budget was again increased in 1990-91.
• Fifty thousand new teachers were employed.
• Education made compulsory upto 8th class.
• Importance was given to technical and scientific education.

Youth Policy

• Ban on students unions was lifted immediately so that the youth can get training and develop discipline and achieve organisational expertise during their college years.
• To address the problems of youth a separate ministry for youth affairs was established.
• 80 thousands new literacy centres were set up throughout the country.

Women Affairs

• Ten thousands young people were given loans of 50 thousands each to start their own businesses.
• Very first time a separate ministry for women affairs was established to solve their problems.
• Women Bank was established.
• Women were given loan facility to start their own businesses.
• Computer centres for women were started in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

Water & Power

• Electricity was supplied to 4 thousand Villages in twenty months, which is a record.
• Electricity supplied to more than 12 lac houses.
• Private sector was encouraged and 1 billion $ investment from private sector was arranged for electric generation.
• Ghazi Brotha and Neelam Jhelum projects (1 thousand Mega Watts) were initiated.
• To overcome the energy problem an agreement was signed with China for the supply of a 300 MW nuclear Power Plant.

Communication & Production

• Built a Satellite Station connecting Skardu, Gilgit and Gawadur with Islamabad.
• Microwave channel was built to connect Karachi and Peshawar.
• 600 new post offices were opened.
• Port Qasim was extended.
• Pakistan Steel Mills was extended and its productivity increased.
• Employment of 5000 workers were secured by restarting Baluchistan Textile Mills.
• Millat Tractors was extended and its productivity increased from 12000 tractors per year to 18000 tractors per year.
• A new plant of Suzuki Cars was constructed.
• The lines for 1,50,000 new telephone connections were placed.
• 18 cities were connected via direct dialling system.

Oil & Gas

• 30% increase in production of oil and gas.
• Work started to build a refinery.

Industry

• Rupees 3.88 billion petrochemical project started.
• An assembly plant of Toyota Hi Ace, Jeeps and Cars was started.
• Loan facilities were extended for establishing small industrial units.
• Limits for investment without government approval, was increased.

Defence

• Two Frigates were handed over to Pakistan Navy.
• Pakistan started indigenous aircraft production.
• New sophisticated radar system started operation.
• Acquired sixty F-16 Planes.

Freedom of Press & Expression

• Press laws aimed at censorship lifted.
• Journalists terminated from service during Martial Law regime were reinstated.
• No objection certificate for journalists to travel abroad was abolished.
• Employees of Radio and Television were reinstated.

Religious Services

• An international Secret Conference was held.
• The numbers of Pilgrims were increased in 1989. The new Haj Policy was adopted and over 1 lacs people were sent to perform Haj in 1990.
• 2 Secret Conferences were held.
• Haj flights were initiated from Lahore and Islamabad.

Miscellaneous

• Conference of the Heads of States of SAARC was held in Islamabad.
• China announced to extend an interest free loan of 5 crore dollars.
• Pakistan rejoined the Common Wealth.
• Relations with India normalised and an agreement of no attack on nuclear installations was signed.
• Russia approved 1 billion dollar for extension of Karachi Steel Mills.
• A separate ministry was established for eradication of drug smuggling.
• Big drug traffickers were arrested and put behind bars.
• South Asian Games were successfully held.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


1993-96

Development

• Built 21,000 primary schools.
• Provided 700,000 new telephone connections.
• Electricity to 18,000 villages.
• Airport at Sehwan Sharif.
• Airport at Gawadur.
• Work on Ketti Bandar Port started.
• Construction of Akra Dam providing safe drinking water to the coastal regions of Mehran.

Foreign Policy

• For the first time the OIC summit at Casablanca adopted a unanimous resolution asking for a solution of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions.
• Adoption of Brown Amendment which partially released the military equipment and hardware stuck up in the US since long due to Pressler Law.

Law & Order

• Peace in Karachi. A near end to terrorism acknowledged by friends and foes alike.

Defence

• Agosta submarines for the Pakistan Navy.
• Tanks for the Army.
• Missile capability developed which was to be announced as the Golden Jubilee gift to the Nation on August 14,1997.

Energy

• An end to the load shedding by enlisting the private sector in power development sector through a uniform policy of tariffs and concessions hailed by the World Bank as a model for the developing countries.
• Completion of the first private sector power plant, HUBCO.
• Our 11000 kilometers of gas transmission line completed to provide gas to 240 new towns and villages.
• Oil and gas exploration stepped up. As a result four new oil and gas wells discovered.

Communication

• Laying of the optic fiber along with right bank of Indus.
• Introduced cellular telephones, digital pager, satellite dish and FM Radio.

Social Sector

• Countrywide Polio Vaccination Programme-Nearly 100 percent children under the age of five vaccinated against Polio in three years.
• A large number of Computer Centres opened – Special centers for women
• Recruitment of 33,000 Lady Health Visitors to reduce infant mortality.

Legislation/Northern Areas

• Electoral reforms bill adopted for the first time.
• For the first time people of Northern Areas given the right to vote.

Women Development

• First time Women Police Stations set up, Women Bank opened and Women Judges appointed in superior judiciary.

Media

• Complete press freedom.
• Sixth Wage Board award announced for the newspaper workers. The award was also implemented in the APP.

Finance

• For the first time since independence, Cabinet members were forbidden to take loans from Pakistani Banks.
• State Bank of Pakistan made an autonomous organisation.
• For the first time one billion dollars of debt retired.
• From a dismal growth rate of 2.3% in 1992-93 which it inherited, the PPP government raised the economic growth to 5.2% in 1995-96. The growth rate plunged to 3. I % in 1996-97 after the removal of PPP government, a figure further lowered to 1.3% in the budget.
• Fiscal defcit in the last year of PPP government i.e.1995-96 brought down to 5%, from 8% of GDP which it had inherited.
• Tax revenue which were only 7.2% of GDP in 92-93 was raised to 14. I % of GDP in 1995-96. Last year the tax to GDP ratio again fell to 10.2%.
• Due to investment-oriented policies, more than 3 billion dollars of direct foreign investment flowed into the country. As against this the present government has scared away foreign investment through its mishandling of the IPP issue and freeze on foreign currency accounts.
• A day before the PPP government was dismissal, the stock index was at 1500 points. It sank to 900 points in August 98.

Welfare

• Haj flights from Multan and Sukkur.
• Tens of thousands of jobs provided to the educated but unemployed youth in government departments, banks, corporations and autonomous bodies.

Anti Narcotics

• Effective anti-narcotics measures and legislation adopted for the first time.
• Half a dozen major drug barons extradited.
• Death penalty and confiscation of property provided in the law for drug pushers.

Achievements of Mohtarma Bhutto government in advancing Women Rights
1. In 1993, Mohtarma Bhutto’s Government subscribed to the Vienna Declaration which recognized women’s rights as human rights.

2. In 1994, led by her, Pakistan’s delegation actively participated in the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo and acceded to its Programme of Action reaffirming the principles of gender equality and equity, the empowerment of women, guaranteeing women’s right to development and her reproductive rights and eradication of poverty.

3. She also led the delegation to the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in September 1995 and presented a report of strong commitments to women’s rights and development.
The Platform for Action and the declaration as adopted in the conference focused on the critical areas of concern for women and outlined an action-oriented strategy for the solution of their problems. Affirming its commitment to women’s uplift, the Government under premier Bhutto in collaboration with donors initiated a process of setting up Beijing Follow-up mechanisms throughout the country. To facilitate post Beijing activities a Beijing Follow up Unit was set up in the Ministry of Women Development and one each in the Women Development Departments of the four provinces.

4. In February 1996, Pakistan ratified the United Nations’ Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); this was a major achievement of the People’s Party government on international covenants pertaining to the rights of women.

5. Restoration of Women seats in National and Provincial Assemblies. The Government was ready to move an amendment for this when it was dismissed.

6. Five percent quota in for women in Employment was fixed in all Government departments.

7. Crisis Centre for Women in distress. – The Government set-up “Crisis Centres for women in Distress” in Islamabad and at Vehari. These were pilot projects which aimed at providing medical and legal aid to the women victims of violence. The 24 hour centres were by NGOs. The Management Committee comprised NGOs and Government Servants. Teams of volunteer Doctors, Lawyers and Social Workers were associated with the Centres to help women in distress. The PPP Government expanded the program to other urban and rural areas.

8. Muslim Women’s Parliamentary Union was formed. This was a path breaking initiative and brought together women parliamentarian from 21 Muslim Countries. The first meeting was held in Islamabad and the second in Malaysia.

9. A Women’s Sports Board was established to promote women’s participation in sports and prepare Pakistani Women athletes for international competitions. The First Islamic Women’s Games were held in Pakistan.


B. INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING FOR POLICY PLANNING AND IMPLEMENT:

Thirteen focal point were designated in various Ministries, Divisions for a systematic Gender Sensitization Training Programme for officers of various Ministries in the Federal Government and also Provincial Departments to improve upon the existing process of identification, planning, implementation and performance evaluation of women’s programmes and projects. The objective was to strengthen the role of the Ministry and simultaneously bring about substantial improvement in women’s share in public sector employment and training.

Non-Development Budget and Utilization. The years 1993-96 on an average reflect an increase of 42.78% over allocations of 1991-92 and 1992-93.

The year 1994-96 on an average reflect an increase of 92.70% as compared to the allocations to 1993-94.


Public Sector Development Programme:

• Medical Technical Assistants (MTA). Her government launched Training Programmes for Girls to Provide Skills for marketable jobs at Institute of Public Health Lahore, at D.H.O Hospital, Sargodha, at Institute of Nursing and Health Sciences Sheikh Zaid Post-Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore, at B.V. Hospital Bahawalpur, at DHQ. Hospital, Jehlum, at National Hospital, Karachi, at Hayat Shaheed Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, and at Abbottabad.
• To provide support to mothers at work, Day Care Centre were established at Government College for Women, T. T. Singh (under Umbrella Project), at Women Development Social Welfare and Special Education, F.G. Girls Colleges in Cantt/Garrisons.
• Computer Training Centre at Jhang, Islamabad.
• Establishment of Hostel for Working Women at Gujranwala, Hyderabad and Sukkur, Quetta.
• Women Training Institute at Sahiwal.
• Construction of 50 Rooms Women’s Hostel at Lahore.
• Establishment of Mobile Hospital for T.B and Gynae Women Patients, at Raheem Yar Khan.
• Rearing and Development of Silk Worm Realing and Weaving of Silk Thread for Rural Women in Sindh.
• Strengthening of Training of Women Folk in Fruit and Vegetable Production and Preservation, NWFP.
• Construction of Maternity Home with Equipment at Mensehra.
• Setting up of Six Community Centres at Islamabad.
• Women Income Generating Scheme in ICT.
• Creation of Additional Women Mobile Civil Protection Training Teams at Islamabad.
• MSc Women’s Studies, at Allama Iqbal University, Islamabad.
• Centre of Excellence for Women Studies Islamabad, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar.

WOMEN DEVELOPMENT

1. The focus was in on improving education of women, expanding their health facilities and providing openings for their income generation; removal of discrimination in education and employment and better information on women’s issues, on their rights and responsibilities; and increasing participation of women in employment.

2. Special efforts were made to improve women’s education skill and employability. These included (i) expanding education and training facilities for women; (ii) opening up avenues of their employment in all walks of life; (iii) reservation of special quota in public sector jobs (iv) creation of congenial atmosphere in offices and factories, and (v) removal of sex bias in employment. Facilities and incentives were extended for self-employment and development of cottage industries.

3. 38,000 women benefited through the specialized training facilities to be provided at the provincial and federal levels. Women’s participation in the fields of agriculture, livestock development poultry/fisheries was facilitated. Access to credit facilities was increased.

4. During the three years (1993-96) of the PPP Government, programmes included.

• Vocational training programme in the field of secretariat work, computers, communications.
• Various small projects for women like community welfare centres, dispensaries, eye units, gyne wards, day care centres, industrial home and women cooperative, darul falah.
• Enhancing women employment avenues.
• Increasing women literacy rate.
• Encouraging NGO’s to participate in the welfare programmes of women.
• Appointment of female judges in judiciary.
• Setting up of women’s development departments in the provinces.
• Up-gradation of women’s studies centres at five major universities to full-fledged departments.
• Setting up of police stations for women (staffed exclusively by women).
• A human rights ministry was formed to watch and investigate into human rights abuses, particularly those against women. Relief was provided for victims of abuses through the newly created measures for victims of abuses like legal aid centres and burn units in hospitals. A National Committee on women was set up to articulate women’s concerns with special emphasis on political representation and violence against women.

 

[Meengla]

Whether we like this PPP govt or not--and I certainly don't like it--they should be given a chance and resources to complete projects; even if half are completed then Pakistan would have advanced and not being stuck. I also think that, even if anecdotal evidence, Shabaz Sharif's govt in Punjab must be acting as some kind of stimulus for others to at least try to perform.

Look at the Gorakh Hill project: It has finally taken off and is bound to be a catalyst for changes in upper Sindh. And so here and there, projects being completed give 'hope' to people.

 

[nomi007]

 

[Qalandari]