ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met today at Aiwan-e-Sadr, where they underscored the importance of public welfare in the formulation of the upcoming federal budget. The discussions also addressed national security and regional issues, reflecting the government’s focus on economic stability and provincial rights.

According to Radio Pakistan, the meeting was attended by high-profile officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Interior Minister Naqvi provided a briefing on his recent diplomatic visit to Iran. The President directed that the federal budget should align efforts towards harmonizing growth rates with public welfare initiatives.

The discussions also covered the internal situation, recent elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, the circumstances in Azad Kashmir, and law and order issues. Participants included Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Faisal Rathore, and Member of the National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf, among others. The President emphasized the need to ensure economic stability, provincial rights, and public welfare in the upcoming fiscal policies.