ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will co-host, along with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the “International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan” in Geneva on 9 January (Monday) 2023 for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood-affected people.

Addressing a news conference at the Planning Ministry on Thursday, he said Pakistan had faced loss of $30 billion due to flood. He said that agriculture, infrastructure, and livestock sectors were badly damaged due to flood in Pakistan.

The minister said the “International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan” would be held in Geneva on Monday, which would help provide resources for rehabilitation in flood-affected areas of the country. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would lead Pakistan’s delegation at the conference.

He said Pakistan would present a 10-year programme to make Pakistan climate resilient before the international community.

The minister also invited Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan to come to the National Assembly and work for a consensus electoral reforms package. He said the next elections would be held as per schedule, adding Pakistan, at that point in time, needed collaboration and not conflict.

Talking about the decisions taken by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council, Ahsan Iqbal said 20,000 engineers and technical workforce would be offered paid internship in development projects of the country. He said those graduates would be paid Rs40,000 stipend per month.

He said the ECNEC also approved 75 scholarships to bright students of the country in top 25 universities of the world in Masters and PhD programmes. He said laptop scheme for 100,000 students of the country would be launched. He said the ECNEC also approved providing 5,000 scholarships to students belonging to Balochistan and erstwhile FATA.

The minister said the ECNEC approved Sindh Human Capital Investment scheme at cost of Rs55 billion with the collaboration of the World Bank for rehabilitation in the flood-affected areas of the province.

He said the ECNEC also approved a development project at the cost of Rs40 billion for the less developed districts to bring them at par with the rest of the country.

The minister reiterated the government’s resolve to uplift the economy of the country and bring development in all sectors.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023