Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that despite the constraints imposed by domestic and global circumstances, the budget 2023-24 promised to turn things around and has outlined a clear path for the purpose.

The prime minister, in a tweet, said that achieving economic self-sufficiency, remained the overarching goal where the economy was insulated from external turbulence and shocks.

He said as the experts were analysing the various facets of budget 2023-24, he considered it important to highlight the special emphasis the government had placed on the growth-inducing sectors in the budget. He said the measures for the uplifting of information technology, agriculture, solarisation, youth development and other sectors were proposed after thorough deliberations.

“They are aimed at incentivizing innovation and entrepreneurship of our talented youth and boosting the productivity of agriculture and attracting investment in the agro-industry.” At the same time, the prime minister said the government was working on a solarisation initiative to replace the costlier sources of power generation by harnessing the vast solar power. “Affordable energy is key to economic growth and the provision of relief to the people. The procurement of crude oil from Russia is also part of the energy security plan,” the prime minister remarked. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held an important meeting with Chief of Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir. In their meeting, the premier and the army chief discussed the national security situation and the Pakistan Army’s professional capabilities.

It should be noted that the meeting comes at a time when the government and the military leadership have decided to take strict measures against the perpetrators of the May 9 violent incidents in the country. On June 7, the Formation Commanders’ Conference chaired by Chief of Army Staff Gen Munir underlined that the “noose of law” will be tightened around the “planners and masterminds, who mounted the hate ripened and politically driven rebellion” against the state and state institutions on May 9.