PESHAWAR: The people from all walks of life including politicians, economists and civil society here on Tuesday highly appreciated the Prime Minister’s relief initiatives including reduction of Rs10 per litre in petrol and diesel prices besides Rs5 per unit cut in electricity tariff and has termed it historic. Mohibullah Khan, Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock told APP that Prime Minister Imran Khan has deserved full credit and appreciation by providing maximum relief to masses despite high prices of petroleum products at international markets. He said a Rs10 per litre cut in petrol and diesel prices besides Rs5 per unit electricity tariff was a big relief to the masses. The minister said the PM’s announcement not to enhance prices of petrol and diesel as well as electricity tariff till the next budget was highly praised worthy. He said increase of cash assistance from Rs12,000 to Rs14,000 under Ehsaas Program would directly benefits about eight million families in the country. The minister said Ehsaas Program has been globally appreciated due to its role in poverty alleviation. The World Bank had ranked the Ehsaas Programme as one of the best programmes in the world, while the British Prime Minister also appreciated Pakistan’s endeavours to tackle the issue of climate change. He said billion trees afforestation project launched by the Government in 2014 has started delivering lurals besides combating climate change challenges. PTI government had inherited a weak economy burdened with huge internal and external deficits, and foreign exchange reserves were only enough for three weeks of imports. Today, he said the country’s economy and GDP was growing in upward trajectory due to prudent economic and financial policies of the incumbent government. The Government had effectively dealt with the monster challenge of coronavirus and subsequent lockdowns, supply chain disruptions and commodity prices hikes. He said the international financial institutions had acknowledged the economic success of Pakistan. The Economist magazine had noted that Pakistan was among the top three countries, which had effectively tackled the coronavirus. The World Bank, World Economic Forum and World Health Organization also appreciated Pakistan government’s solid efforts during the coronavirus pandemic. Bill Gates appreciated Pakistan for its achievements in the health sector as no polio case had been reported in the last one year. Dr Muhammad Naeem, Assistant Professor Economics, University of Swabi said Prime Minister Imran Khan deserved full credit and appreciation for announcing an internship program for graduates of Pakistan under which Rs30,000 per month would be provided through a transparent and merit-based system. He said it would provide the required skills and jobs experience to millions of youth. Dr Naeem said that 2.6 million educational scholarships and allocation of Rs38 billion for it was historic initiative of the government that would immensely help bolster literacy ratio and promote higher education. The Prime Minister has announced various incentives for promotion of information technology (IT), including 100% tax exemption for companies and freelancers, 100 % waiver on repatriation of capital and foreign exchange, and elimination of capital gains tax for start-ups. He said it would bring further boom in IT sector and generate employment opportunities for hundred of thousands of youth. Senior Economist, Sumbal Riaz while appreciating the PM announcement said the investment from the overseas Pakistanis, including through joint ventures, would enjoy tax-holiday for five years and no question would be asked from those who would establish industries. She said Pakistan’s economy grew by 5.6 percent as verified by the World Bank while remittances from overseas Pakistanis increased to $ 31 billion and foreign exchange reserves to $ 23.2 billion, adding Pakistan has recorded the highest level of exports due to better economic policies of the government. She said Rs460 billion for the provision of interest-free loans to the youth under the Kamyab Jawan Programme to start businesses, low-income groups to construct their own houses, and farmers was important initiative. She said tax collection has been enhanced to more than Rs 6,000 billion, rising by 31 percent and Pakistan had good crops of wheat, rice, sugarcane and corn. Farmers had earned Rs1,100 billion while taking benefit of the support package given by the government and timely payments from the sugar mills, which showed substantial agriculture growth. The large-scale manufacturing had increased by 7.5 percent, and private sector companies had earned Rs 930 billion in profits, besides getting credit of Rs1,400 billion from the banks. Tractor sales had increased by 20 percent, and those of trucks and buses by 81 percent, while the oil consumption increased by 15 percent. Rs 1,500 billion were flowed into the construction sector due to the housing sector package announced by the government and the banks had already approved loans of Rs 150 billion for low-cost housing and Rs 50 billion had been disbursed. Misal Khan, Retd Information Officer while appreciating the PM relief initiatives said that Sehat Card plus Program was a landmark project providing the much needed relief to masses. He said every citizen was now able to get free treatment up to Rs 1 million under Sehat Card Plus in any top hospital of Pakistan. He said PECA was an important law and it had nothing to do with the freedom of press and instead good journalists should be happy over the curb of fake news as it would enhance their credibility. He said unlimited press freedom was counterproductive for freedom of expression and urged journalists bodies to sit with relevant authorities for countering the menace of fake news.