AJK polls: Bilawal promises raise in pay, pension and jobs if PPP comes into power

Pakistan People's Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has promised a raise in pay, pension and jobs for youth if the people of AJK elects the PPP, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Friday. 

If the people of AJK get PPP won, we will establish a people-friendly government in Muzaffarabad, he said while addressing an election rally.

"Our first step after coming to power will be a surge in salaries, the second an increase in pension and the third will be providing the youth with jobs," he said, adding that the PPP has the history of a better public service delivery as it never remained in the hunt for rule. 

He continued: "Have PPP's words … These are not like PTI's U-turns and PML-N's hollow claims. We will play a long innings. We will stay by you. We will continue serving you till death." 

He listed the PPP feats it achieved in its previous rule under former President Asif Ali Zardari, saying that the PPP introduced Benazir Income Support Programme to provide the poor women with financial help when the world was getting through through economic recession.

Bilawa said: "We announced 120 percent pay raise as we could not leave our teachers and teachers in deep financial troubles when the world was facing the worst financial crunch. 

"Our soldiers were not only protecting the borders but our brothers also by bravely fighting against terrorists, it was the PPP that raise pay of servicemen by 175 percent in the rule of former president Asif Ali Zardari.  No rulers – even Gen Pervez Musharraf, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and the selected – dare raise salaries of soldiers."

He urged the people to elect the son of Ch Majeed, Qasim Majeed, so that the PPP could complete its forefathers' mission.  He recalled Ch Majeed's contribution to keeping the public service mission launched by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) and carried on by Benazir Bhutto (BB).

"For three generations, Ch Majeed has been a flag-bearer of the Bhutto's philosophy. The people who say the PPP is finished, they don’t know about Mirpur. They don’t know about Mirpur jiyalas.  Our ties are deep-rooted.

"When ZAB was assassinated and Shaheed BB decided to carry on his father's mission, Ch Majeed and Mirpur jiyalas stand by her. Ch Majeed was a mujahid of ZAB and a soldier of BB.

He reiterated his party's resolve to continue with the mission of ZAB and BB in AJK and support to the just cause of Kashmiris fight for the right to self-determination in Indian occupied Kashmir, saying the new generation has to finish the task.