Shehbaz Sharif unveils PML-N manifesto for General Election 2018

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif unveiled on Thursday the party manifesto ahead of the General Election 2018, which has been scheduled for July 25. 

"People should see which party fulfilled its 2013 manifesto," said the former Punjab chief minister.

He recalled that in 2013, load-shedding and the deteriorating security situation were the two biggest issues facing the public, adding that PML-N under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif eliminated both these problems. 

"We worked alongside Pakistan Armed Forces to establish peace in the country including Karachi," he remarked. 

Shehbaz also praised the previous federal government for adding 11,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. 

The main requirements which any country needs to follow in order to be able to stand on its feet include socio-economic protection, especially of those hailing from unprivileged backgrounds, then provision of health and education facilities and finally empowerment of the people, he said. “After giving protection to people, we need to empower them.”

Shehbaz while referring to his opposing political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said that he cannot promise one billion jobs like PTI but rather has set realistic goals such as 100,000 jobs for people to curb unemployment. 

Water crisis

“Water will be the biggest challenges in the coming years,” he shared, adding that he is willing to work with all political parties to solve the issue. 

"PML-N’s top most priority will be the completion of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam," he said. The dam will include 4,500 MW of electricity in the national grid and solve problems pertaining to flash floods as well, he claimed.

Low-cost housing schemes

Former Punjab CM remarked that the party will also launch low-cost housing schemes for those who can’t afford houses of their own. “We would charge less interest on loans and make sure that people from poor backgrounds are able to afford a roof on their heads.”

The scheme would be for all those who are not able to afford houses or apartments for themselves, he added. 

Nawaz's message

Earlier, former information minister and party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb began the event by reading party supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's message.

She said that the people showed their confidence in 2013 when they voted for the PML-N leadership. 

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider and other party leaders are present at the event. 

“The party’s manifesto addresses challenges faced by the country today and expounds PML-N’s plan of action for the development of the country,” sources told Geo News earlier.

“It also includes a strategy to further improve the security situation across the country, including Karachi and Balochistan,” the sources further said.

Provision of education and healthcare as well as power generation are a part of the manifesto, the sources continued.

The PML-N has become the second major party to make public its manifesto, a week after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari revealed his manifesto pledging to curtail hunger, rebuild the country's economy and foster harmony between different institutions of the state.