Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Sartaj Aziz on Wednesday said that the government and civil society needs to work together to achieve Sustainable Development Goals in the country.

Speaking to International Human Rights conference 2018, Sartaj said that the government and the civil society needs to join hands to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and that Pakistan through its policies is ensuring safeguard of human rights.

On occasion, Sartaj said that Pakistan is the first country to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals, introduced by the United Nations (UN), via mutual agreement of the Parliament. Moreover, a secretariat was also established to ensure implementation of SDG, he added.

Talking about the roles and responsibilities of the secretariat, Aziz said that it would function to introduce and implement laws pertaining human rights. He added that the secretariat would also keep an eye on the challenges faced by the country and look for ways to counter them.

The deputy chairman further elaborated than policies related to the country’s development, environmental safety, women and child rights should be made through mutual cooperation of the civil society. Sartaj also lauded the conference saying that it has benefited policy and planning regarding SDGs a lot.

Continuing his address, Sartaj said that the government established an Action Plan in 2016 for promotion of human rights. According to the plan, issues regarding safeguard of human rights, legal references, path to justice and priorities of the UN are taken into consideration, he said.