Daily Times

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry has reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment, under the vision and directives of the Prime Minister, to usher in an era of prosperity and development across Sindh province.

Ahsan Iqbal expressed the resolve while meeting Sindh Minister for Planning, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Chairman Planning and Development Najam Shah in Karachi on Monday.

During the meeting, they made a comprehensive review of the projects under the Public Sector Development Program portfolio for urban and rural Sindh. Ahsan Iqbal said the federal government remains committed to fostering collaboration with provincial governments to achieve sustainable development and prosperity for all.

He directed officials concerned to ensure timely resolution of all PSDP projects under implementation in Sindh, including those related to education, water, housing, and infrastructure.

He highlighted that the green channel approval for the rehabilitation housing project for flood-affected areas, which has resulted in the construction of over eight hundred thousand houses, with three lac fifty thousand already completed.

The Minister emphasized that the ownership of these houses has been ensured for women, reflecting the government’s commitment to gender equity. He commended the coalition government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, for taking bold decisions to bring Pakistan back on track.

The Planning Minister elaborated the Federal government’s ambitious Project ‘Uraan Pakistan’, centered around the 5Es Framework, which he described as the cornerstone of Pakistan’s future development.

Ahsan Iqbal announced the Federal government’s campaign to achieve zero hepatitis within three years and emphasized the urgent attention required for devolved subjects, including healthcare, education, and population control.

The Minister highlighted the importance of women’s participation in the workforce, emphasizing the need to increase their participation rate to over 50 percent to ensure Pakistan’s progress.

Ahsan Iqbal said that there are ups and downs in politics, downplaying the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) warning of quitting the coalition government in the centre. “There’s always a bit of a musical rhythm within a coalition government, just like within a family. Within a family, siblings or family members might have their disagreements. “But that doesn’t mean there’s a serious rift. Whatever the issue is, we handle it internally in a mature manner,” the planning minister said.

Explaining further, the federal minister said that the PML-N and the PPP are the country’s major political parties with their distinct ideologies. However, he maintained, that they are in agreement on Pakistan’s development – to stand on one page for the country’s interest.

“This understanding was the foundation of the Charter of Democracy signed by Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto. It reflects the essence of democracy, where two mature political parties collaborate for the country’s betterment.” The federal minister further said that, given the current circumstances, senior leaders from both parties believe the country requires collaborative politics rather than confrontation.

Ahsan Iqbal mentioned that Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb would convene the National Finance Commission’s (NFC) meeting soon.

In his remarks, the Provincial Planning Minister, Nasir Shah, expressed gratitude to Ahsan Iqbal for his unwavering support, which has led to the highest allocation of approximately 81 billion rupees for Sindh in the last decade.