ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the government is working with earnest devotion to bring political stability in order to put the economy on upward trajectory.

He made the remarks while chairing the cabinet meeting in Islamabad on Friday.

The Prime Minister regretted that a sustained effort has been made by some elements over the last one year or so to stoke political instability. He said this have had a disastrous impact on the economy. He stressed that political stability is a must to put the economy in the right direction.

As regards the budget, the Prime Minister said that comprehensive consultations have been held with all the stakeholders on it.

He said that by focusing on the agriculture sector, we can yield positive results in the minimum time. He stressed for establishing agricultural value chain to enhance exports and bring prosperity in the lives of rural population. Similarly, he said, we have to focus on enhancing IT exports.

The Prime Minister said the government is cognizant of the problems faced by the common man due to inflation. He said we have to take care of the salaried class as well as the pensioners so that they could meet their basic requirements.

The Prime Minister said it is a matter of satisfaction that the country has managed to bring down the current account deficit to 3.3 billion dollars regardless of internal and external challenges.

The Prime Minister was confident that since Pakistan has fulfilled all the conditions, the IMF board will approve the next tranche after completion of ninth review this month.

Shehbaz Sharif was appreciative of the financial support extended by China and Saudi Arabia during the challenging times over the last few months.