Pakistan Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report 2010, launched on Friday, indicated that the country had failed to achieve MDGs due to slow economic growth, severe energy crisis, socio-political problems, security issues, war on terror and recent floods.
While addressing the launching ceremony of MDGs Report 2010, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr Nadeemul Haq said the displacement of people due to floods had put enormous pressure on the economy which would not only negatively affect the MDGs goals and targets but also economic growth over the next few years.
"The government is making all-out efforts to cope with the challenges in a bid to increase the growth rate," he said, adding that the Planning Commission is already working on devising a growth strategy with an objective to make Pakistan competitive in global market.
He said the government had taken several measures including consensus on the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award and introduction of social safety nets especially through BISP to improve the livelihood of poor and marginalised segments of the society.
He said the developing world is lapsing on its commitment towards achieving the eight goals: Developing a global partnership for development. The rich countries' trade policies are impeding Pakistan's exports. They can help provide much needed quota-free and duty-free access to exporters from developing countries like Pakistan as recommended in the Eighth Goal. He further said that we can only tackle the current challenges by joint efforts and hope that the development partners will support Pakistan's stance on the final goal.
A detailed presentation on the status of the MDGs targets was presented by Aisha Maqsood Ahmed, gender specialist. She said it is evident from the statistics presented in the report that Pakistan has adopted 16 national targets, 37 indicators against the 8 MDGs, keeping in view the priorities and data availability. Pakistan is ahead in 6 indicators; on track in two; slow in 4; lags behind in 20 indicators and is off-track only in one indicator.
In his keynote address, Secretary Planning and Development Division Ashraf M Hayat said the report has significant importance, as it is only a monitoring tool for measuring Pakistan's performance in achieving MDGs. While only five years remain towards the attainment of these goals by 2015, the UN Summit is very timely to reassess the world's commitment with respect to the MDGs. In spite of all the challenges and unfavourable circumstances faced by Pakistan, the government is resolved to fulfil its commitment of achieving the MDGs.
He emphasised that the developed world should fulfil its role by allowing free access to their markets, transfer of new technologies, and by providing favourable terms of trade. Resident Co-ordinator United Nations Pakistan Onder Yucer and Country Director UNDP Toshihiro Tanaka also addressed the participants.
According to the report, with declining fiscal space, the government was forced to remove a large numbers of subsidies, which pushed a large number of people into poverty. High growth, low inflation and job creation are required to help come close to achieving the MDGs 2015 targets.
Pakistan adopted the Millennium Declaration in the year 2000, and pledged to "spare non efforts to free our fellow men, women and children from the abject and dehumanising conditions of extreme poverty." With only five years remaining, efforts for the achievement of the MDGs become increasingly important. The UN MDG summits, also known as high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly, later this month are focusing to agree on an agenda to spur collective action for attaining MDGs over the next five years (ie by 2015).