Spokesman Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday said the economy of Pakistan was on the path of sustainable growth due to successful economic policies of the government.

Talking to members of the National Assembly here, he directed that the elected representatives should strengthen their contact with the people and create awareness in them about the different government schemes for the socioeconomic progress.

The schemes include Universal Health Coverage under National Health Card, Ehsaas Ration Riyayat Programme, provision of loans, fertilizers and pesticides under the Ehsaas Kissan card, Kamyab Jawan and Kamyab Pakistan programme, home financing, business loans and professional training.

The prime minister also directed that people should be informed that the government was aware of their problems and was taking all possible steps to save them from the negative effects of imported inflation due to the historic rise in the commodity prices in the international markets.

The people friendly steps also included decrease in the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per liter and reduction of Rs 5 per liter in the price of electricity.

Other steps included promotion of information technology, creation of job opportunities for the youth, 100 percent tax exemptions for IT companies and freelancers, 100 percent repatriation of profits, and full exemption of capital gains tax for investment in the IT start ups.

Besides that Rs 407 billion subsidy would be given in business loans for the next two years under the Kamyaab Jawan programme. Monthly stipend under the Ehsaas programme was increased from Rs 12000 to Rs 14000.

Rs 38 billion were allocated for 2.6 million scholarships of Rs 30000 per month under the graduate internship programme.

The prime minister reiterated that the government was making all out efforts for reducing the negative effects of inflation by creating conducive atmosphere for investors, jobs for youth and targeted subsidies.

Those who attended the meetings with the prime minister included members of Parliament Shaukat Ali and Sher Ali Arbab from Peshawar, Raja Khurram Shehzad Nawaz and Ali Nawaz Awan from Islamabad, Rashid Shafiq, Mansoor Hayat Khan and Zulfikar Ali Khan from Rawalpindi and Chakwal, female legislators Kanwal Shauzab, Begum Shaheen Saifullah Taru, Nafeesa Anayatullah Khattak and Noreen Farooq Ibrahim, former members National Assembly Chaudhry Ashfaq, Haji Muhammad Yusuf Ali Ansari and CEO Chen One Mian Kashif Ashfaq.

Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi also met the prime minister.