ISLAMABAD: Year 2020 has known to be a tale of challenges globally, but for Pakistan, it has proved as a "story of success and development" even during the coronavirus pandemic.
The government of Prime Minister Imran Khan has handled the economic impact of pandemic with effective strategies and emerged successful during tough times.
For PM Khan, the year 2020 narrates a journey of stable economy, numerous development and welfare projects, and remarkable achievements at foreign policy front.
Following is the outline of significant milestones achieved by the government during 2020 along with a set of the Prime Minister's New Year resolutions for year 2021:
Covid Resposne:
1st ever NSC meeting on Public Health
NCOC formed to serve as nerve centre
Rs. 1.2 trillion COVID Relief Package, Rs. 180 billion disbursed through Ehsaas Emergency Cash, multiple other economic stimulus measures
Smart lockdown
Construction Industry Package to ensure employment for daily wagers
Response acknowledged by WHO as one of the best
Welfare State/Riyasat-e-Madina:
Ehsaas Kafaalat, - One Woman One Account( 7 million families to benefit) - Special Persons (2 million families to benefit)
Ehsaas Amdan Programme
Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarships distribution
Ehsaas Nashonuma to fight stunted growth
Rs. 180 billion disbursed during COVID to 15 million families transparently
Health:
Sehat Sahulat Card (Rs. 10 lac/year health coverage for every family, can be availed at both public and private hospitals) for entire Punjab (end of year 2021), entire KP including ex-FATA merged districts (end of Jan 2021), entire AJK & GB. Also for Police, Lawyers, Transgenders etc.
Indigenous production of medical equipment including ventilators and cardiac stents launched
Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Centre (IHITC) inaugurated in Islamabad
Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar - Medical, Surgical and Allied Services Block inaugurated
DHQ Hafizabad groundbreaking
DHQ Chakwal groundbreaking
250-bed Peshawar Institute of Cardiology inaugurated
Education:
Single National Curriculum finalised
University of Hafizabad groundbreaking
University of Chakwal groundbreaking
Pak-Austria Facchochschule Institute inaugurated in Haripur
Namal Knowledge City Phase 1 groundbreaking
Sialkot University of Applied Engineering and Technology groundbreaking
SNC to be completely rolled out by 2023.
Climate:
Largest forest of Pakistan in Kundian, Mianwali launched with 250 million trees target
Green Stimulus Package to provide employment and combat climate change as well
Monsoon Tree Plantation campaign
Largest tree plantation drive in Pakistan's history - 3.5 million trees planted on August 9th
Billion Tree Honey Initiative
Protected Areas Initiative
Clean Green Index awards
Travel Responsibly for Eco-tourism in KP (TREK) Initiative launched
Locust Crisis tackled successfully
UN biodiversity Summit, Austrian World Summit & Climate Ambition Summit addressed by PM Imran Khan
Development Projects:1. Naya Pakistan Housing 20000 housing units worth Rs. 100 bn inaugurated by PM Imran Khan
Allama Iqbal Industrial City Faisalabad groundbreaking
BRT inauguration
Karachi Transformation Plan - Karachi Package
Ravi Urban Development Project
5 decades after Mangla and Tarbela, construction for 2 large dams, Diamer-Basha and Mohmand, is well underway
Azad Pattan and Kohala Hydropower Projects
Mohmand - Sheikh Zayed Road inaugurated
Special Economic Zones initiated under CPEC
Quaid-e-Azam Business Park Sheikhupura
Balochistan & Sindh High Speed Broadband Project
Chakwal Northern Bypass
Economy:
Current Account Balance (Jul-Nov)
$1.6 billion SURPLUS (FY21)
$7.2 billion DEFICIT (FY18)
Remittances (Jul-Nov)
$11.8 billion 27%
Exports (Jul-Dec)
$12.1 billion 5%
Large Scale Manufacturing (July-Oct)
6.7%
Foreign Exchange Reserves crossed $13 billion, highest since February 2018
Textile industry operating at full capacity, 80,000 power looms opened (50,000 old re-opened, 30,000 new ones). Cement industry operating at full capacity, witnessing record orders. Vehicle, motorbikes, rickshaw sales rising. Tax revenue rising. Energy Relief Package for industries to encourage exports for sustainable economic growth.
Foreign Policy:
Qatar visit by PM
Malaysia visit by PM
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres visit to Pak
UNGA President Volkan Bozkir visit to Pak
PM Imran Khan's maiden visit to Kabul
Continued role in Afghan Peace Process, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar visit to Pak, Taliban Political Commission visit to Pak, Abdullah Abdullah visit to Pak
UNGA address by PM & multiple sidelines events on Climate, Money Laundering and COVID
Pakistan's re-election to UNHRC
Kashmir:
Feb 5 - Kashmir Solidarity Day
Jul 13 - Kashmir Martyrs Day
Aug 5 - Kashmir Youm-e-Istehsaal
Oct 27 - Kashmir Black Day
Kashmir Legislative Assembly Addressed by PM Imran Khan twice
Other notable developments:
Legislation against money laundering, terrorism and sex crimes.
PM Imran Khan's Policy Announcement to conduct Senate Elections through open ballot and next General Elections via e-voting.
PM Imran Khan's announcement of provisional provincial status for Gilgit-Baltistan
PM Imran Khan's New Year Resolutions / Targets for 2021:
Universal health coverage for all citizens through Sehat Sahulat Programme
No Pakistani should go to bed hungry ("Koi Pakistani bhooka na soye") New project to be launched soon under Ehsaas Program.