Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that his party’s government formed after the victory in the upcoming general elections will introduce the Green Energy Parks at the district level to solve the long-standing electricity crisis in the country, and the poor families will be provided free electricity up to 300 units monthly.
He also lambasted the traditional non-public approach of bureaucracy, saying that that the “Baboos” (bureaucrats) sitting in Islamabad neither do the work themselves nor let anyone else do it, adding that like Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the people of Punjab also feel deprived.
He once again categorically said that PPP believes in making local bodies administratively and financially independent.
According to the press release issued by Media Cell Bilawal House, the PPP Chairman, while addressing the chairmen and mayors of local bodies across the province participating in the annual general meeting of the Local Council Association Balochistan chapter, urged that there is a need to focus more on local solutions to alleviate the problems faced by the people.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that it is said that during his third term, Mian Sahib (Nawaz Sharif) had eliminated the problem of electricity load shedding in the country, and continued: “(on such claim) I wonder which Pakistan is this, where 18 hours of loadshedding is happening.” He said that after winning the polls due on February 8, his government will implement the Green Energy Parks project under Public Private Partnership mode to solve the power crisis. “We will generate the electricity locally and supply it to the local population at subsidized rates,” he added.
Chairman PPP termed the local government representatives as truly grassroots representatives, and urged that both the federal and provincial governments must consult with the local government representatives in preparing the annual budget. “Working together can solve many of the problems people are facing,” he said.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari termed the issue of climate change as a big challenge as well as threat for Pakistan and warned that more difficulties may be faced in this regard. He recalled that last year there was a sudden huge flood, while before that, different parts of the country were suffering from drought. “Everyone talks about the North Pole and the South Pole in terms of climate change, but there is another pole that is neglected. That third pole is the Himalayas, where our glaciers are,” he said, adding that the world has to understand that along with saving the wildlife of the North and South Poles, people also have to be saved from destruction.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that due to climate change Sindh and Balochistan are at the highest risk of damage, adding that the governments would have to change development plans, and it will have to be designed with climate change in view. “We need to invest in water reservoirs, irrigation systems and schools to build green infrastructure. When we do this, we can protect our infrastructure from future floods and climate change. On the other hand, this development process will provide employment to the local people,” he added.
Chairman PPP said that the country cannot run the way it is being run, adding that the people of Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab feel deprived. “We have to think now about the old hateful, divisive politics,” he added. He furthered that the sufferings of the people are increasing due to the mutual fights, due to which people are losing confidence in the governments. “We have to restore the confidence of the people, if the democratic parties fail, another force will take our place. This situation will not be good for our country and the region,” he concluded.
Local Council Association of Pakistan President Syed Kumail Hyder Shah and other leaders of the organization were also present on this occasion. Local Council Association Balochistan chapter meeting was attended by the chairmen of district councils of 32 districts, mayors of six municipal corporations and chairman of 128 municipal corporations of Balochistan province.