Islamabad
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar has said that the government is committed to continuing structural reforms in multiple areas of economy, governance and institutions.
The minister said during a video teleconference with Lord Tariq Ahmad, British Minister for South Asia & the Commonwealth, at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on Monday. Both sides exchanged views on matters relating to bilateral development assistance.
The minister for economic affairs appreciated the role of the UK’s assistance in the development of Pakistan, especially in the area of girls education. He while appreciating the UK’s continuous support to Pakistan, said that a National Coordination Committee has also been constituted to review the progress of foreign-funded projects and to ensure their smooth & timely implementation.
The minister stressed the need to start discussions on the new Development Partnership Arrangement (DPA) between the two countries in line with the government’s vision and development priorities. He underlined the need to prioritise the sectors in consultation with the government of Pakistan to bring improvement.
The minister also highlighted the significance of GSP+ status for Pakistan after Brexit and emphasized to enhance bilateral trade and investment relations.
Lord Tariq elaborated on the new development assistance policy of the government of the UK in the wake of Covid-19. He highlighted that the new policy would focus on the areas of education, health, climate change, science & technology and poverty alleviation. He stated that Pakistan is an important development partner and would continue to be a major priority of the UK’s development assistance.timely implementation of the ongoing portfolio. —TLTP
