He called for launching a crash programme to extend free compulsory primary education to all children within five years, secondary education being readily accessible to all sections of the people, rapid establishment of new Universities, including medical and technical Universities, immediate steps to ensure replacement of English by Bengali and Urdu in all walks of life, and every effort to encourage the development of regional languages.
About the problem of cities where low-income groups were living in “sub-human conditions” he said the future development must concentrate on providing for the need of the poor majority and low-cost housing must be accorded the highest priority.
In the field of health, he stood for immediate measures to establish a rural medical centre at every union and a hospital at every thana headquarter, introduction of national service in rural areas for medical graduates and training para-medical personnel in large numbers to staff rural health centre.
Pointing out the vital role of industrial workers in the economy, he said their basic rights to form trade unions to bargain collectively and a strike must be guaranteed, a living wage and the basic amenities like housing, education and medical care for themselves and for their children must be assured, and labor laws restricting their basic-rights must be repealed.
Pointing out his party's belief in the equality of all citizens, he said “we have always stood against every form of communalism". He said the minority community would enjoy equal rights with all other citizens and equal protection of the laws.
He said “mohajirs” should be integrated into the national life “so that they may become assimilated with the local people and thus enjoy equal rights and opportunities with them in all walks of life.”
He repudiated what he called the “false propaganda” that Islam was endangered by the six-point formula or “our economic programme” and said “nothing which promotes justice between region and region and man and man can be opposed to Islam.”
“We have affirmed our commitment to the constitutional principles that no law should be enacted or imposed in Pakistan which is repugnant to the junctions of Islam is contained in the Holy Quran and Sunna.”
The Awami League Chief said the “powerful coteries” which ruled Pakistan for 22 years would do everything possible to prevent transfer of power to the people, but pointed out that a determined people could successfully resist and overcome such forces of oppression.
He said “we therefore, serve notice upon the forces of reaction in our society that we, along with the people of Pakistan will confront them and if democratic processes are obstructed, we shall resist them by every mean possible.”
He said his party stood for pursuing a “truly independent, non-aligned foreign policy to avoid involvement in global power conflicts.”
