ISLAMABAD, Jun 3 (APP): Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Political Affairs, Dr Asif Kirmani Friday said Pakistan Muslim League (N) had always encouraged women participation in politics to ensure their involvement at decision making level.

ISLAMABAD, June 3 (APP): Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad
Asif has hailed budget for the fiscal year 2016-17, saying it would
go a long way in extending relief to masses.
Talking to media persons, outside the Parliament House, he said
the PML(N)-led government had devised prudent economic polices and
its results had started trickling down at grass-roots level.
He said economic indicators were gradually improving as reflected
in the budget document which envisaged a number of measures for
uplifting all sectors.
The minister said the budget also laid emphasis on the energy
sector and its projects would help overcome energy crisis, soon.
He said measures had also been made for the five main sectors
of economy – textile, leather, carpets, sports and surgical goods,
which result in strengthening the country’s economic position.
Asif also lauded enhancement in salaries and pension of the
government employees and increase in minimum wages of the labourers
and said that these measures would help benefit the low income group.
Describing the budget as pro-people and progressive, he said
that the budget would arrest inflation and ensure sustainable growth
besides helping farmers, students, salaried class and poor segment
of society.
He said the government had always taken tangible steps for
welfare of masses and each financial year would have more pro-poor
and pro-people initiatives in budgets.

ISLAMABAD, Jun 3 (APP): Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina has expressed her good wishes for the early recovery of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

In her message addressed to Prime Minister Sharif, she
said “I was extremely worried to learn about your illness that
led you to undergo an open-heart surgery in London.
Nonetheless, I am now relieved and very happy to hear the news that the surgery was successful.”

“I fervently hope that by the grace of the Almighty you
will come round soon. Our prayers are always with you. May
Allah bestow upon your family members the blessings to
withstand this trying time,” a press release of the Foreign
Office on Friday quoted Hasina as saying.

ISLAMABAD, Jun 3 (APP): Chairperson Benazir Income Support
Programme (BISP), Marvi Memon on Friday said the budget has
prioritized the marginalized segments through allocating sufficient
funds for social nets, promoting agriculture sector and raising
minimum wage rate.
Talking to APP outside Parliament House, Marvi Memon said the
steps like increasing allocation for BISP upto Rs. 115 billion and
for Pakistan Bait-ul Mal upto Rs. four billion and 10 percent
increase in minimum wages would improve the living standard of
common man.
The decision to expand road networks for ensuring easy access
of agriculture and industrial products to the markets is also a
positive endeavour, she opined.
She said the government has taken encouraging steps through
imposing more taxes on non-tax payers which would help strengthen
the Gross Development Production of the country.

ISLAMABAD, Jun 3 (APP): Minister of State for Federal Education Engr Muhammad Baligh ur Rahman has said that the continuity of the democratic process was essential for the development of any country.

ISLAMABAD, June 3 (APP): Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs,
Sheikh Aftab Ahmed termed the budget as farmers and investors friendly which would have far reaching impacts on the national economy.
Talking to APP outside Parliament House, he said that the budget has reflected the government’ seriousness toward improving the living standard of the common man by allocating more funds for health, agriculture, industries, education and social safety nets.
This government has seriously focused on resolving power crisis through initiating several power projects which would result in adding 10000 Mega Watt in the national grid system by the year 2018, he said.