Minister for Economic Affairs, Omar Ayub Khan, pledged Pakistan’s commitment to eradicate poverty and achieve social and economic equality in a speech at a United Nations committee meeting.
According to a press release by the economic affairs division, Khan spoke at a session of the United Nations Economic & Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Committee on Macroeconomic Policy, Poverty Reduction, and Financing for Development.
He said that Pakistan was determined to address the issues of poverty and economic inequality in the country and to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. “Pakistan’s immediate aim, therefore, is to consolidate the emerging macroeconomic stability through appropriate monetary and fiscal measures, aimed at crowding-in the private investment, mobilizing domestic savings and reviving the economic growth process,” he said.
Khan discussed some of the government’s main poverty alleviation initiatives. “One of the main initiatives is the Ehsaas programme, which is a social safety and poverty alleviation programme launched by the Government of Pakistan in March 2019,” he said. “Ehsaas program specially focuses on investment in the social sector and human development. The purpose of this program is to promote financial inclusion and access to digital services. One of the main objectives of this programme is women empowerment. Ehsaas aims to empower 10 million poorest women in Pakistan and help them to achieve their potential,” he added.
He also mentioned the Kafaalat program, which aims to ensure the financial and digital inclusion of 7 million disadvantaged women across Pakistan. He also discussed the National Poverty Graduation Programme (NPGP) and the Kamyab Jawan Program. Moreover, he discussed the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
“BISP is a federal scheme that launched back in 2008,” Khan said. “Its purpose was to provide unconditional cash support to help struggling families living in poverty in Pakistan. It remains the largest support program in the country. BISP distributed approximately 90 billion PKR ($542 million) to 5 million low-income Pakistanis.”
The Economic Affairs Minister said that the Pakistani government felt that supporting the private sector is a key route toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, it wants to encourage investment in the sector.
He concluded, “The Government of Pakistan reaffirms this partnership, outlining our collective aspirations for a new reality for Pakistan – a reality free from poverty, vulnerability and deprivation.”
