QUETTA: The newly-formed Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) has unveiled its election manifesto, promising to introduce good governance and financial discipline, restoring peace and order, giving priority to health and education sectors and solving the problem of drinking water shortage in Balochistan.

BAP president Jam Mir Kamal Khan Alyani unveiled the manifesto during a press conference on Tuesday. He was accompanied by BAP’s founder Syed Saeed Ahmed Hashmi, secretary general Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar, additional secretary general Syed Hasnain Hashmi, leaders of woman wing Sana Durrani and Bushra Rind and other leaders.

Mr Alyani said Balochistan was rich with natural resources and after coming into power the BAP would use these resources for the benefits of the province’s people and development of its backward areas.

He said that objectives could not be achieved without a good governance structure. Therefore, he added, the BAP would bring improvement in the governance structure of the province.

Peace, new jobs, health and education facilities promised

He said the party’s manifesto focused on the economic development of the province and promised to launch a number of development projects. He said the party would develop the mineral sector and technical fund, establish Balochistan Bank, set up small and big industrial parks and bring improvement in budgetary and fiscal systems.

Mr Alyani said if voted to power the BAP would increase the province’s education budget. Modern courses will be organised for government teachers, schools will be provided all facilities, including computers and other equipment.

He said the party would give priority to maintenance of law and order as it believed that without peace no government could work smoothly and launch development projects.

Talking about his party’s healthcare plan, he said a new health policy would be announced for the province. New government hospitals would be established across Balochistan, health insurance schemes for poor people would be introduced and district healthcare authorities would be established, he added.

He said the party had made plans for eradication of poverty from the province. For the purpose, he said, full attention would be given to local industries and local products, especially those made by women.

He said there was no a quick solution for poverty eradication, but the party would try to create new jobs for the youth. The BAP government would give a boost to livestock and fishery sectors, he added.

Senator Kakar said the BAP would work for solving the problem of electricity and water shortage in the province. He said construction of new dams was necessary for solving the problem of water shortage.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2018