ISLAMABAD, Aug 28: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said on Saturday that change in the government would auger well to strengthen democracy and improve the much-needed good governance in the country.

"I find the change very good, excellent and it will certainly help improve the political culture. This change is good for the future of the country," he further stated.

Talking to reporters after administering the oath of office to new Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz at the President House, he said it was good to note that within the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) better sense had prevailed to elect Mr Shaukat Aziz as the new prime minister of the country.

"This is very important to know that the new change has happened in a very good manner which proves the maturity of the PML leadership," the president said.

He expressed the hope that the new prime minister would further strengthen democracy and run affairs of the country in a more transparent manner.

The president told a reporter that increasing foreign exchange reserves would be efficiently utilised to improve the lot of the people. "Now is the time to provide more to the people," Gen Musharraf said and added that Mr Aziz was competent enough to meet various political and economic challenges currently being faced by the country.

"I am very delighted over the appointment of Shaukat Aziz as the new leader of the house in the National Assembly," he added.

In reply to a question about India-Pakistan relations, he said that ongoing talks were moving in the right direction.

"Now let us wait for the meeting soon to be held between the foreign ministers of the two countries," he said.

On this occasion Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said that his top priority would be to further improve the economy and promote democracy with the help of parliament.

"My agenda is to improve the performance of the government so that democracy could flourish and fruits of the improved economy could reach to the common man," he said.

He said objectives of the good governance would have to be achieved as it was very important for the country.

He said he was glad to see that the new change had happened in a very good and orderly manner, "and now I sincerely hope that democracy will take its roots."

The new prime minister said that he believed in hard work and honesty which were the two main important things to achieve anything.