ISLAMABAD: Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah has urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take effective measures to improve health and education facilities in the country.

He called upon all political forces in and outside the parliament and federal and provincial governments to join hands for the purpose, and proposed a charter for improvement of education and health sectors.

In a letter sent to the prime minister on Sept 25, the opposition leader said: “I urged upon you to come forward and religiously commit for this noble cause to make our present and coming generations progressive and prosperous.”

“The state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of 5 to 16 years in such manners as may be determined by the law,” he added.

It may be mentioned that these issues are being persistently raised by the protesting Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek.

In his letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn, Mr Shah said: “After the historic struggle for the restoration of democracy in the country and signing of the Charter of Democracy by PPP and the PML-N now all political parties, both inside and outside the parliament, should come forward and sign a Charter for Improvement of Education and Health for the provision of better education and health facilities at all tiers.”

He suggested that first of all, federal and provincial governments, as a matter of their duty, must provide free of cost primary and secondary level education in a manner that attracts the non-enrolled children and adolescents, particularly girls, belonging to weaker, socially disadvantaged and economically deprived sections of society.

“We need to provide basic health facilities to all segments of society as after education, our health sector indicators are also one of the lowest in the world and Pakistan is the only country in the world where more than one hundred polio cases have been recorded this year,” he said.

Referring to travel restrictions imposed on Pakistanis, he said it was very embarrassing for the country and its people. “We should strive to provide basic health facility to every settlement comprising 500-1,000 inhabitants,” he said.

“After 18th Amendment education is provincial subject, hence, federal government should pressurise provincial governments for providing primary and secondary education and basic health facilities in their respective provinces. The modalities for the achievement of these objectives may be prepared and finalised in consultation with parliament, political parties and other concerned,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2014