ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal has said inequalities must be eliminated to achieve sustainable development goals, and the impact of climate change too was responsible for inequalities.

He was addressing the ‘Grand National Dialogue on Socioeconomic Development to Mitigate Disparities’ organised on Monday under the auspices of the Centre of Pakistan and International Relations (COPAIR) and Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI).

The federal minister said it is a challenge for governments to give digital knowledge to every section of the society, with digital economy they have to work on poverty, health and other sectors.

“We had started a laptop scheme for the public sector in 2010, which many people made fun of and today, the same 100,000 youth are supporting Pakistan and themselves with the digital economy,” Mr Iqbal said.

He added that it was the responsibility of the governments to equip deprived people with digital economy and modern means.

“We were fulfilling the conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to get out of the worst economic crisis, when at the same time a calamity like flood happened,” he added.

Former ambassador and COPAIR Chairman Khalid Mehmood said that the government’s inattention to social development leads to discrimination many people in Pakistan are devastated due to floods.

He said there was a need to set new goals for social and economic development in the country. We have inequalities in different sectors, these inequalities have also arisen due to innovation in the field of technology.

“The elimination of inequalities is included in the sustainable development goals,” Mr Mehmood said.

Islamabad Policy Research Institute President Dr Raza Mohammad emphasised on equality and elimination of discrimination in the society and said that development is not possible without elimination of discrimination in the society.

He said due to the fulfillment of IMF conditions subsidies had to be removed, which affected the poor sections badly.

Economists, former ambassadors and people from different walks of life participated in the dialogue.

It was highlighted that Pakistan faced lack of economic development in proportion to population and the objectives of economic development cannot be achieved with increasing population.

COPAIR President Dr Amina Munawar Awan will formulate recommendations regarding sustainable development goals and socio-economic reforms, and there was a need to set new goals for social and economic development in the country.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2022