Pakistan's defence and stability top priority: Prime Minister
By Shamim Akram - Pakistan Times Staff Reporter

WAH: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Monday said, country's defence and stability were government's top priority and efforts were underway to make Pakistan economically prosperous and self-sufficient in defence production.

"Safeguarding country's sovereignty and stability is our top priority and we will make every sacrifice for it," he said while addressing the officers and workers during a visit to the Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF).

Prime Minister Aziz' address was aired live to all the 14 factories of POF and over 26,000 workers listened his speech. He said Pakistan has no aggressive designs against anyone but it was country's fundamental right to make its defence impregnable against any aggression.

"We will not let any country cast an evil eye on Pakistan," the Prime Minister said and added all resources would be provided to make country's defence strong.

Of the Strong Economy

The Prime Minister underlined that country's defence did not depend on modern weapons alone and required a strong economy to achieve the goal.

"We must make progress in other fields and every strata of society and part of the country has to be prosperous," he said and added the government was engaged in process of nation-building, keeping in view the aspirations of people.

He said Pakistan was the only Muslim country with nuclear capability and vowed to further strengthen Pakistan's nuclear and conventional capabilities.

Asks representatives to focus on welfare projects

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Monday said representatives of the people must focus on projects for the welfare of the common man and assured all support of the government.

Talking to District Nazim Attock, Tahir Sadiq Malik, who called on him here at the Prime Minister House, he said, the federal government will extend all support for the development projects as the country’s development was linked to the prosperity of its people.

The Prime Minister stated that increase in people’s earnings, employment opportunities and raising the standard of the people was among the top priorities of his government.

The government was paying special attention to the development and prosperity of the remote areas, he added.

He said steps were being taken to ensure speedy justice to the poor and pass on the benefits of the economic gains to the masses. The Prime Minister appreciated the performance of the district Nazim and said that under his leadership, Attock was fast progressing.

He said projects of people’s welfare - projects in health and education sectors and schemes of provisions of gas and electricity - were being undertaken at fast pace. The Nazim apprised the Prime Minister of the progress on development schemes in his district.

He said various development projects have been initiated with the help of the provincial and the federal government. Malik said completion of these projects would not only raise the living standard of the people but would also create numerous employment opportunities.●