Dialogue with political parities to continue :Dr.Hafeez

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Dr.Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said on Wednesday that the process of dialogue with political parties would continue for resolving the economic problems and challenges being faced by the country.

He stated this while talking to journalists, after a meeting with the parliamentary party leaders of Awami National Party (ANP) led by Senator Haji Adeel here at Parliament House Wednesday afternoon.

Dr.Hafeez Shaikh told the ANP delegation that he was hopeful of positive response from the PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif on his 10-point agenda.

Dr.Shaikh was assisted by Minister for Privatization Syed Naveed Qamar and Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Senator Mian Raza Rabbani on behalf of PPP, while the ANP was represented by Senator Haji Adeel, Senator Afraseab Khattak , Senator Zahid Khan and Bushra Gohar in the meeting.

The Minister said that his meeting with the ANP leaders on acceleration of economic growth and resolutions of the problems being faced the country on the economic front was very positive, constrictive and useful.

He said that ANP during the meeting also raised the problems being faced by the smaller provinces.

He added that both the parties also discussed matters pertaining to improve fiscal discipline and governance for the economic prosperity of the country.

Dr Hafeez Shaikh said that government was taking steps for the resolution of the problems and challenges being faced by the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Senator Haji Adeel said that ANP observed that PML-N 10 point reforms agenda was not enough only to resolve the economic problems and challenges being faced by the country.

He was of the view that a Parliamentary Committee should be formed to evolve a national consensus on the elimination of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, check target killings at Karachi, to improve situation in Balochistan, introduction of reforms in FATA, control wastage of resources in government organizations  and with regard to broadening of tax base for the economic development of the country.

Senator Adeel said that PPP Parliamentary team led by Dr.Hafeez Shaikh also gave a briefing on 10-point agenda of the PML-N.

"We have no objection over the 10-point agenda but we observe it is not enough to resolve the problems and challenges being faced by the country", Haji Adeel remarked.

He said that after the meeting, the ANP delegation also met with Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and shared with him the matters on which consensus has been reached between the two parliamentary parties.

He also called for taking steps to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country.