The Prime Minister said founder of the PPP Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave right to franchise to ordinary people‚ empowered labourers‚ workers and farmers‚ made country a nuclear power and strengthened defence of Pakistan. He said Shaheed Bhutto also launched mega projects like Pakistan Steel‚ PAF Kamra Complex‚ expanded POF‚ and laid foundations of Heavy Mechanical Complex.
Raja Pervez Ashraf said the PPP is symbol of security of the country and empowerment of the people and, therefore‚ people would return it to power again. He said the PPP launched Benazir Income Support Programme that supports seven million families. He said the programme is aimed at empowering the poor.
He gave assurance that the monthly cash grant under Benazir Income Support Programme would be substantially increased from the existing one thousand rupees during next tenure of the Government. The Prime Minister said it was because of the farmer-friendly policies of the PPP Government that the country has become surplus in wheat and sugar and the lot of the farmers has improved. Similarly‚ he said‚ salaries of the Government employees and pensions were also enhanced significantly during the last over four years.
The Prime Minister said that it is for the first time a democratically elected civilian government is going to complete its mandated five-year term. Raja Pervez Ashraf announced to accept all demands presented by Minister of State Sardar Saleem Haider in his address on the occasion.