ISLAMABAD: Pakistani politicians on the campaign trial promised to increase spending on health and education after a UN report released yesterday revealed the budget is among the lowest in the developing world. The 2013 report ranked Pakistan 146 out of 187 countries on a human development index, equal to Bangladesh and just ahead of Angola and Myanmar. It said 49 percent of the population live in poverty. Senator Razina Alam of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), said, “We will increase resources for education and at least four percent of GDP would be allocated by the year 2018.” “In the health sector we will make a threefold increase in the budget by 2018,” she added. Shafqat Mehmood, information secretary for ex-cricketer Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said his party would triple spending on education and raise spending on health five times. The PPP did not attend the launch of the report with other politicians, diplomats and aid workers.
Army may guard 50pc booths
PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan is considering deployment of armed forces in at least half of the polling stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas over security concerns, said Provincial Election Commissioner Sono Khan Baloch yesterday. Baloch said here that a high-level meeting was held in the capital city two days ago to examine the security situation in the province and tribal areas, especially sensitive areas. He added that for the time being, ECP had been planning to depute personnel of armed forces in at least half of the polling stations. The PEC said last time, elections could not be held in NA-42, South Waziristan, for security reasons but this time, he was hopeful that polls would be held there. He said tentatively, they had decided to set up 10931 polling stations in the province and Fata. He added that 1,080 of these stations would be in Fata.
Over 100 held
in Karachi
Islamabad: Pakistani forces conducted a search operation in different areas of Karachi city and arrested more than 100 suspected to have taken part in violent attacks late Wednesday. According to media reports, they conducted an operation in Frontier Colony, Metrovel, Afghan Colony, Sohrab Goth areas as well as house to house search after closing entry and exit points of the localities. Forces also recovered weapons from the suspects’ custody. The arrested were sent to an unknown location for further probe. Agencies
