By Our Staff Reporter
QUETTA: Speakers on Wednesday at a seminar organized by Pakistan Development Alliance (PDA) underlined the need for coordinated efforts among all stakeholders to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Members provincial assembly, Ahmed Nawaz Baloch, Qadir Nail of Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), Haji Abdul Rehman Bazai from growers community, Zia ur Rehman, the convener of PDA, Chief of WESS Pervez Iqbal, journalists and members of civil society participated in the consultative conference, which discussed ways and means to get the SDGs.
Briefing the participants, Zia ur Rehman said that sustained, inclusive and sustainable efforts were needed to get the SDGs. He stated that awareness needs to be increased among all stakeholders to make sure achievement of SDGs.
Habibullah Nasar from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with killing facts about socio economic indicators informed the participants that poverty ratio on headcount in Balochistan was 71 percent, the most alarming during survey conducted during the year 2017.
He stated that capacity of officials needs to be improved and resources should be mobilized to meet the SDGs.
Legislators from Balochistan Assembly, Ahmed Nawaz Baloch and Qadir Nail assured that they would raise the issue with the government and all out efforts would be made to join hands with civil society to get the SDGs achieved by 2030.
The speakers mentioned that plans and policies need to be framed in line with recommendations of experts to get the objectives achieved. It may be mentioned here that States at the UN had pledged to achieve the SDGs by 2030. Pakistan could not get the Millennium Development Goals set by the UN by 2015.
Since all subjects i.e. 72 under the historic 18th amendment have been devolved to provinces from federal government so therefore it was provinces’ responsibility and mandate to achieve the SDGs, the speakers mentioned. They spoke at length about the social and political issues faced by Balochistan, Pakistan’s area wise the largest province.
