ISLAMABAD, June 1: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday assured the ruling coalition parliamentary group of a people-friendly and pro-development budget containing incentives for the low-income groups.

He said that the government believed in developing the country with dignity and equity without compromising on national sovereignty or relying on foreign donors.

Presiding over a joint parliamentary party meeting of the Pakistan Muslim League, Pakistan People’s Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement, PML (Functional) and MNAs from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Mr Aziz said the government attached great importance to self-reliance. He said loans were taken only for development purposes instead of for meeting day-to-day requirements.

The prime minister said the government is alive to the need to maintain fiscal discipline and better management of resources.

He said one of the crowning achievements of the government was the passage of the fiscal responsibility law, which restricted the borrowing power of the executive.

No government could override its provisions without the authorisation of parliament, he said.

Mr Aziz said historic mega development projects, on completion, would bring about a qualitative improvement in the standard of life of people.

The meeting discussed various steps taken by the government in the agricultural sector and noted with satisfaction the positive changes taking place in rural areas.

The parliamentarians stressed the need to improve infrastructure in rural areas and to ensure supply of adequate water for irrigation and improved extension services for better agricultural outputs.

Prices of essential commodities also came under discussion and the prime minister apprised the meeting of the economic measures taken by the government to bring them down to affordable levels.

He said the price of cement had registered a sharp decline as had the price of sugar, which was freely available at utility stores.

He assured the parliamentarians of a growth-friendly and pro-development budget with a view to creating increased job opportunities.