This he said while chairing a meeting on Benazir Employees Stock Option Scheme (BESOS) here at Bilawal House on Sunday, which was attended among others by Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Minister for Finance, Ghous Bux Khan Mahar, Minister for Water and Power, Ch Ahmad Mukhtar, Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Dr.Asim Hussain, Advisor on Petroleum and Natural Resources, M.Salman Faruqui, Secretary General to the President, Finance Secretary, Abdul Wajid Rana, Amjad Ali Khan, Secretary Privatization and other senior officials.

The President said that Benazir Employees Stock Option Scheme (BESOS) was a major achievement of the people's government as employees could directly benefit from the scheme and has inculcated a sense of ownership among the workers of State Corporations.

He said that by distribution of 12% GOP shares among eligible workers in 80 State Owned Entities (SOEs) free of cost, the present government have made the workers an important stakeholders in the organizations who would now have a considerable say in the management of the organizations and sharing the fruits their hard labour.

The President said that BESOS scheme was launched in line with the vision of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to empower the workers and wage earners.

The President reiterated that Pakistan Peoples Party and the present government was committed to make the labour and wage earner, a partner in the development process with rights and responsibility in overall national development and production.

Secretary Privatization, Amjad Ali Khan, gave a detailed presentation on the progress in implementation of the scheme and latest developments in BESOS.

He said that Benazir Employees Stock Option Scheme (BESOS) established by the government as a flagship programme for empowerment of workers would benefit about 500,000 workers in 80 SOEs.

He informed the meeting that so far Unit Certificates have been distributed among 235,855 workers in 60 State Owned Entities.

He said that Employees Empowerment Trusts (EETs) have been registered in 64 SOEs while registration of Trusts in 16 SOEs is in process.

The Secretary Privatization informed that so far more than three billion rupees have been distributed as dividend among the workers and employees of different units under BESOS scheme, adding that 12% of GOP shares in First Women Bank and Utility Stores Corporation will soon be distributed among the employees and workers under the BESOS scheme.