The Government employees and pensioners here Tuesday welcomed announcement of the Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif regarding 10 percent increase in their salaries and pension. The labourers, farmers and general public also appreciated the newly elected Prime Minister for increasing minimum wages to record Rs 25,000 which was unprecedented in the country’s history. Information Officer (Retd), Misal Khan while talking to APP said Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has won hearts and minds of hundreds of thousands of pensioners after announcing 10 percent increase in pension of government employees and termed it a landmark decision. He said it would provide significant relief to price-hike stricken families of pensioners in the wake of price-hike and inflation. He expressed the hope that PTI Government in KP would reciprocate the same decision as announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for welfare of labourers, Federal Government employees and pensioners. Professor Dr Muhammad Naeem of the Economics Department University of Swabi also welcomed increase in the salaries of Government employees and termed it a gift of newly elected Prime Minister for hundreds of thousands of Government employees. He said political stability was imperative for economic growth and development and inclusive fiscal and monetary policies were must for progress and prosperity of Pakistan. Labourer Muhammad Sadiq, a resident of Nowshera said the newly elected premier deserved appreciation for increasing minimum wages of labourers to Rs 25,000 that would benefit hundreds of thousands of labourers in the country including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Awami National Party leader and former Provincial Minister Wajid Ali Khan while congratulating the newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said under his leadership, the country would march on road to progress and development. Owing to ill economic policies of the PTI Government, he said the value of dollars against rupees has been significantly increased while a record price-hike and inflation was witnessed in the last three and half years, affecting the common man. He said ANP had supported joint opposition for strengthening of democratic system and constitutional rule in Pakistan. ANP leader expressed the hope that PTI leaders would revisit their decision regarding resignation from parliament and would support the Government in every positive and peoples’ welfare move.