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| 31 May 2004 | Monday | 11 Rabi-us-Saani 1425 |
Jamali promises welfare budget: PML discusses Karachi situation
ISLAMABAD, May 30: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali here on Sunday said that the government was trying to prepare a welfare-oriented and people-friendly budget.
Speaking at a meeting of the unified Pakistan Muslim League here, he said that the budget would reflect the policies and priorities of the government with regard to providing relief to the common man.
Mr Jamali said that the budget would include measures for investment promotion. The meeting held at the prime minister's house reviewed the law and order situation in Karachi, following the assassination of Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai.
Party sources said that matters pertaining to the recent party reorganization and the forthcoming budget were also discussed with emphasis on nominations for top party posts, which were made when the prime minister was abroad.
Sources said that the meeting was held in two sessions, attended by the party's president, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Prime Minister Jamali, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and MNA Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, younger brother of Chaudhry Shujaat.
They were later joined by Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, Religious Affairs minister Ijazul Haq, Balochistan minister Abdur Rahman Jamali, Hamid Nasir Chattha, Mian Manzoor Wattoo and Justice (retd) Abdur Razzaq Thaheem.
The meeting was called by the prime minister to brief the party's leaders on his visit to Saudi Arabia. The finance minister informed the meeting about proposed relief measures for the common man in the budget.
On Saturday, the finance minister had briefed the prime minister on the budget. In the Sunday meeting, the list of probable names for the remaining offices of vice-presidents, joint secretaries and other posts also came under discussion, the sources said.
Chaudhary Shujaat expressed the need for the next year's budget to carry maximum relief for the poorest sections of the society. The minister for finance assured the party leadership that he would give a detailed briefing to the party before the finalization of the budget.
Referring to the cabinet expansion, party sources quoted Chaudhary Shujaat as saying: "It was not discussed today". An understanding, however, emerged that the long-awaited expansion might be made by end-June after the passing of the federal budget. Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Tourism and Youth Affairs, Rais Munir Ahmad, said that the prime minister had approved Rs1 billion for developmental works in Sadiqabad, adds APP.
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