HARIPUR, Sept 15: Minister of State for Finance Omar Ayub Khan has said the PML-led government is trying to put the country on road to progress.

Speaking to reporters at his office here on Wednesday, Mr Khan said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz the country had already been put on the track of economic development, which was evident from the socio-economic indicators showing overall improvement during the last three years.

He said that development-oriented policy of the federal government would earn the country good name and attract investors. It would also help improve the living standard of the people.

He said that for bringing the underdeveloped areas at par with the developed ones the federal government was focusing on the public sector development and poverty alleviation programmes.

About President Gen Pervez Musharraf's uniform issue, he said owing to international geo-political situation, Pakistan needed a president who had the courage of taking bold decisions, and no person other then Gen Musharraf could handle the situation better, Mr Khan said.

He supported the Punjab Assembly's resolution and suggested that President Musharraf should keep both the offices with him in the interest of the nation. About the development projects initiated in his constituency, the NA-19, Mr Khan said that uplift schemes worth Rs1.32 billion were underway in different areas of Haripur while during the ongoing fiscal year five under-passes between Dingi to Baldhair on the GT road would be completed with a cost of Rs35 million, besides provision of natural gas, electricity, and construction of roads to several villages.