ISLAMABAD (APP) - Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance, Shaukat Tarin has pledged that government would bring all sectors, including agriculture, real estate under the tax net to strengthen the national economy. "There will be no sacred cows, " said a statement of the Ministry of Finance quoting Mr. Tarin. Tarin categorically rejected speculative reports in Western media claiming that Pakistan is on the brink of bankruptcy. He said that govt had increased electricity tariff by 31 percent, instead of the required 62 percent. "We decided to look back at further increase later and now that fuel prices are coming down, it will also reflect in energy policies. We may not have to further increase power rates. "The Adviser said that the government could raise remittances by overseas Pakistani by $ 1.5-2 billion a year through procedural changes. This, he said, would be done by asking countries like Saudi Arabia and UAE to allow Pakistanis to send their money through the host governments instead of private banks, which are expensive. Tarin also rejected rumours that the government had asked for information on bank lockers or was freezing assets. The adviser said the fiscal deficit stood at 7.4 percent last year, but came down to 4.3 percent due to the steps taken by the elected government. The tax and GDP ratio, he said, was 10.5 percent and extremely low. Tarin said the government was trying to deal with this by cutting down expenditure and by cutting down expenditure and by encouraging private-pubic sector partnership. "Money could be used for poverty alleviation, education and health." He said help from IFIs was forthcoming while the Friends of Pakistan Group was meeting in Abu Dhabi next month to consider proposals for helping Pakistan. The government however, he said had also drawn back-up plans to ensure that even if this assistance did not come on time, the country had enough to meet its requirements and to move forward in an orderly manner. As short term measures, the government is trying to correct imbalances in macro economic indicators and is also working on eight or nine initiatives to move the country forward. These include safety net, income support fund, skilled-based training health insurance and employment. "We will focus on agriculture to eliminate food shortage and create employment opportunities". Encouraging public -private partnership, integrated energy policy for dealing with power and gas shortages, mineral resources, not explored or utilized yet such as coal, copper, will be developed. Capital market reforms and administrative reforms will also be undertaken.