ISLAMABAD: Special Assis­tant to the Prime Minister on Inf­or­mation Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said budget guarantees national security and def­ence of the country and it will be passed by public representatives.

Addressing a news conference at the Press Information Depart­ment (PID) on Wednesday, the PM’s aide was critical of the opposition and said the speech made by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif clearly showed that he had recovered from the illness and was strong enough to conduct sit-ups at the assembly floor.

“Shahbaz Sharif makes a speech that continues for three days and lasts two and a half hours: how can a person with backache deliver such a long speech,” Dr Awan said, adding, “I congratulate the nation that Shahbaz Sharif’s health issue is resolved.”

However, she said the government would welcome constructive amendments suggested by the opposition. “We always call for support for the cause, not for the two families, and the people of Pakistan have supported Imran Khan for the cause of Pakistan,” she said.

She negated the propaganda that the PM had directed the me­mbers not to allow the parliament work in its normal course. She said: “This is a baseless allegation by only those who have entered the parliament through the backdoor and are now seeking to hold a multi-party conference against the elected government.”

She said the public representatives would get this budget approved. “You all will see that those making tall claims that they will not allow the government to get the budget approved will fail,” she remarked.

Dr Awan said the PTI government had announced eighth interim wage board award to address media persons’ difficulties. She added 325 per cent increase equal to Rs8,500 had been proposed for special grade, 306pc (Rs6,500) for Grade 1 to 4, and 355pc equal to Rs5,000 for Grade 5 to 8. “This is a major step forward for permanent award,” Dr Awan said, adding that the interim award was being announced after having consensus of all the stakeholders.

She lamented that the matter had been pending for a long time. She said a committee would be formed to bridge gap between government and media owners over the issue of permanent wage award.

She said the government had proposed grants for press clubs and news agencies in the budget.

“However, there was baggage attached to this media and we inherited an improper advertising policy,” she said, adding that there were gaps in the advertising policy.

Dr Awan said the government would announce a media and advertising policy on August 14 in consultation with all the stakeholders. She said it would allow the media organisations to benefit more from the government advertisements.

She said the PM’s dream rega­r­ding supremacy of the constitution and rule of law would be fulfilled.

Interim wage award for media workers announced

She also gave assurances on be­half of Prime Minister Imran Khan that workers would benefit from ‘Naya Pakistan’ though ref­orms could only be achieved with the participation of all sta­ke­holders and the whole society. She said the government had fix­ed minimum wage as Rs17,500.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2019