LAHORE: ‘Charter of economy’ will be given priority in the election manifesto of the Pakistan People’s Party and the next budget, says party leader Nadeem Afzal Chan.

Speaking at a press conference, along with PPP central Punjab secretary general Syed Hassan Murtaza, here on Friday, Mr Chan said the party desired to make all other parties a part of the charter of economy, as well as democracy.

He said former president Asif Ali Zardari has taken the business community of the country on board on the issue of charter of economy. He said that giving a good budget is all the more important for the middle class.

He told a questioner that those who had been labeling the ‘Charter of Democracy’ signed by Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif back in 2006 as a “deal” would too have to join such an agreement at last.

Mr Murtaza demanded that the government should provide relief to the people by announcing at least Rs50 cut in the petrol prices.

Calling for framing “pro-farmers” policies, he regretted that sugar mills had not paid dues to the growers even three months after purchasing their cane crop. He said it’s a common practice of the mill owners that they do their business using the capital of the farmers without paying the latter any interest or financial benefit in return.

He said Mr Zardari is present in Lahore and meeting workers on a daily basis to make the Punjab capital a centre of political activities.

Aslam Gill, Mian Ayub, Ahsan Rizvi, Zeeshan Shami and Ayesha Ghauri were also present.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2023