ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail Thursday said that the government was keenly working on all inclusive and sustainable development programs through structural reforms to achieve economic growth and social prosperity in the country.
The minister was speaking during a meeting with delegation of Asian Development Bank (ADB), headed by its Country Director Yong Ye. Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr Aisha Ghous Pasha and senior officers from Finance Division also attended the meeting.
The finance minister appreciated ADB for being development partner and valued the bank’s support for carrying out various development-oriented projects, adding that the Bank had always proved itself an effective partner. The delegation briefed the finance minister about various aspects of the Building Resilience with Active Countercyclical Expenditures (BRACE) program.
Miftah apprised the delegation of devastation situation caused by floods in the country. The two sides shared that various initiatives being undertaken to minimise and mitigate the issues of people impacted by floods in various regions of Pakistan.
In a separate development later in the day, the finance minister urged all development partners of Pakistan to extend broad-based support and assistance to Pakistan for the flood-affected people.
He was highlighting various reform initiatives introduced by the present government for the social uplift of the masses during a meeting with Princess of Jordon Sarah Zeid Raád who had called on him.
He especially apprised the princess of the financial relief provided by the government to the women through the Benazir Income Support Programme and the cash relief announced for the flood victims.
The present government’s initiatives for women development, mother and child healthcare, nutrition facilities, and children education were also discussed in the meeting.
The minister thanked the World Food Programme (WFP) for their continued support to Pakistan by providing humanitarian assistance.
Representative and Country Director- WFP Chris Kaye, Head of Nutrition-WFP Mahamadou Tanimoune, secretary finance and other senior officials attended the meeting.
Princess Sarah Zeid highlighted WFP’s various interventions in diverse sectors in Pakistan and appreciated the constant support and assistance at federal and provincial levels in the country.
She further extended her assistance in a number of areas, including humanitarian aid, food and nutritional needs, financing poverty alleviation, women development etc.
The finance minister thanked Princess Sarah Zeid Raád for promoting socio-economic development in Pakistan and extended his full cooperation and support.
