'Government has adopted reconciliation policy to strengthen democracy'

Federal Minister for Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that PPP-led coalition government has always adopted the policy of reconciliation to strength democracy in the country. The PPP government had never nurtured confrontational policy in the country, instead it promoted reconciliation to strengthen democracy, she said while talking to journalists at Peshawar Press Club (PCC) on Saturday.
Flanked by PPP provincial president Syed Zahir Ali Shah, Information Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, President Peshawar Press Club Saiful Islam Safi, she said that the government had empowered the provinces by granting greater autonomy through the 18th Constitutional amendment. Awan said that the country was facing enormous challenges, like terrorism, energy crisis and unemployment, but the government had taken multi-pronged strategies to bring the country out of the crises.
She said that the PPP had roots across the country, saying that it always respected public mandate. She said that the government had taken initiatives to provide relief to masses during the holy month of Ramazan. She recalled that the country economy was badly hit by the global financial crunch, terrorism and floods. She added that theses challenges compelled the government to slash Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), but the government had adopted strategy for speedy recovery from the crises.
Despite the financial constraints and difficult situation, she said that the government took several steps to improve economic situation of the country. The minister said that PPP government had on its credit of resolving the longstanding issue of provincial autonomy and consensus National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
Regarding the efforts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in war against terrorism, she said that the provincial police, security forces and journalists had rendered enormous sacrifices in the war. She lauded Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for keeping its social, cultural and tradition values high despite the difficult and challenging situation in the province. She said that the region had great significance as gateway to Central Asian states.
About the demands of journalist community, she assured that the government would provide all kind of support and address their issues on priority basis. To a question, she said that the government was committed to facilitate and strengthen media in the country. On the occasion, she announced a Rs 10 million grant for Peshawar Press Club.