Latest news with #MinistryofPlanning
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq to chair sessions at UN High-Level Political Forum in New York
Shafaq News – New York Iraq is set to lead key sessions at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, scheduled for July 21–24 in New York. The Ministry of Planning announced that Iraq will chair meetings of both the Group of 77 and China and the Arab Group—two key coalitions driving efforts to advance the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and address shared challenges among developing nations. The delegation, headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Planning Minister Mohammed Ali Tamim, will also hold bilateral meetings with UN officials, international partners, and member states to expand cooperation and elevate Iraq's influence in global development efforts.
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Target to achieve $60bn in exports over next 5 years: Ahsan
ISLAMAABD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said the government's target is to achieve $60 billion in exports over the next five years. While addressing a meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning, the minister said, 'If we work with dedication, the dream of a $3 trillion economy by 2047 can become a reality.' The committee met with Syed Abdul Qadir Gillani in the chair in the auditorium of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Islamabad on Friday. He said that for the first time in the country's history, Rs1 trillion have been spent on PSDP (Public Sector Development Programme) projects. He said that a clear roadmap for 'Uraan Pakistan' (Pakistan's Ascent) to tackle the challenges the country faces. He said that political stability and continuity of policies are essential for the completion of development projects. He said that a long-term integrated policy and a conducive environment are fundamental requirements for development. The minister said that 'everyone must work for the country's economic growth, rising above political affiliations.' He said the Ministry of Planning has identified five solid pillars for sustainable economic growth. The minister gave the committee an overview of Uraan Pakistan — the National Transformation Plan 2025–2030. He noted that earlier national five-year plans succeeded due to political continuity, unlike the present scenario, where frequent democratic disruptions have hindered progress. He emphasised that even the best ideas require a stable and enabling environment to flourish. The minister highlighted Pakistan's economic turnaround since 2022, stating that inflation had been brought down from double to single digits. He elaborated on the government's strategic focus on the 'Five Es': Exports, E-Commerce, Energy, Environment, and Ethics — underlining them as critical pillars of the transformation agenda. He said that under the second pillar of the 'Five Es,' projects involving modern technology are being pursued. He said that under the 'Five Es,' the completion of water projects, in light of climate challenges, is a government priority. He said that the completion of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam is among the government's top priorities. He said that the government's aim is to ensure the supply of affordable and reliable energy. Under the fifth pillar of the 'Five Es,' the government is focusing particularly on human resource development, said the federal minister. 'After the 18th Constitutional Amendment, most departments have been devolved to the provinces, but centralisation of powers within the provinces has undermined its spirit. There should be a national dialogue on empowering local governments or creating new provinces to make Pakistan's administrative structure more effective,' said the federal minister. He said that controlling population growth is a national emergency and for this purpose, a National Task Force is being established. He said that just as we defeated India in 'Operation Bunyanum Marsoos,' we will achieve supremacy in the economic field with the same determination. The minister said that the government has achieved significant success in controlling inflation. He said that climate change has created new challenges for the national economy. The committee commenced with a follow-up discussion on the tragic Multan LPG tanker blast of January 2025. The committee raised serious concerns over the inquiry process and the distribution of compensation packages, particularly questioning why the elected member of the National Assembly was not consulted throughout the process. The committee recommended a reinvestigation into the incident. Chairperson Syed Abdul Qadir Gillani expressed his resolve to pursue the matter across all relevant forums, vowing to ensure accountability and prevent future tragedies. The committee called for a comprehensive briefing on the case. The meeting was attended by Committee Members Naz Baloch, Muhammad Moazzam Ali Khan, Farhan Chishti, Akhtar Bibi, Dawar Khan Kundi, and Yousaf Khan. Senior officials from the Ministry of Planning, Finance Division, OGRA, and other relevant departments were also present. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Public Sector Development Programme: Govt spends major chunk of Rs640bn on infrastructure
ISLAMABAD: Federal government utilised a large share Rs640 billion (61 per cent) of funds in development projects of infrastructure sector out of Rs1,094 billion authorisation under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for financial year 2024-25. According to a document shared by the Ministry of Planning, there was Rs1,100 billion budgeted allocation for financial year 2024-25. A total of Rs1,094 billion (99.5 per cent) were authorised and Rs1,045 billion (96 per cent) were utilised for development projects. About sector-wise utilisation, Rs640 billion (61 per cent) for infrastructure sector, Rs179.5 billion (17 per cent) for social sector, Rs20.4 (2 per cent) for governance sector, Rs57.8 billion (6 per cent) for science and IT sector, Rs5.5 billion (0.5 per cent) for industries and production sector, and Rs141.3 billion (13.5 per cent) for special areas and merged districts. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Govt spends record Rs1.046tr under PSDP in FY25: Ahsan Iqbal
The federal government utilized a record Rs1.046 trillion under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) during FY2024–25, reflecting 96% of the total allocation, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Thursday. Speaking at the launch of the Ministry of Planning's Monthly Development Update, Iqbal said the development spending, the highest in Pakistan's history, marks a return to a growth-oriented trajectory. 'The PSDP, which was Rs754 billion last year, is now back on track,' he said. Iqbal credited the surge to improved project execution and better economic management, noting signs of macroeconomic stability, including GDP growth, easing inflation, and improved external indicators. Budget 2025-26: Rs1trn planned for PSDP, says Ahsan Iqbal In June alone, the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved 33 projects, while 19 major initiatives were referred to ECNEC. The minister said this will help create nearly 57,000 jobs, and noted Rs1 billion was saved through improved scrutiny. Iqbal said Balochistan remained a key focus, with Rs210 billion allocated for 147 projects, including the Karachi-Quetta-Chaman Highway, M-8 Motorway, and post-flood reconstruction. A Rs2.15 billion digital connectivity project is also underway in 30 cities of AJK and GB. The Ministry exceeded its annual monitoring target, covering 261 projects versus a goal of 240. On energy, petrol and diesel prices declined 5% since March 2024, while electricity tariffs saw an overall 35% cut, including a 69% reduction for the 51-100 unit slab. Only uplift-oriented projects be included in PSDP: minister On the diplomatic front, Iqbal highlighted Pakistan's strengthened global standing, citing recognition of its position on regional tensions and improved passport ranking, which moved from 113th to 100th since 2021. He also announced the launch of the URAAN Overseas Summer Internship Programme, through which 31 Pakistani students from top global universities are working on national development projects. 'The data shows Pakistan is regaining macroeconomic stability, with inclusive and sustainable growth back on the agenda,' Iqbal added.
Express Tribune
08-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Govt making policy on old data
Listen to article Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday lambasted the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) for its failure to timely produce reliable economic and social indicators, as the bureau blamed political turmoil for its inability to timely hold surveys. The proceedings of a meeting held at the Q Block reinforced that the government was making economic decisions based on data, which was 10 years old, and many of the critical official economic numbers were also not reliable, according to officials who attended the meeting. Sources said that the finance minister was perturbed by the delay in having the latest numbers on poverty, unemployment, reliable data on economic growth and other critical indicators. Aurangzeb asked his media adviser Khurram Schehzad and Chief Economist of Pakistan Dr Imtiaz Ahmad to review the sourcing and processing of data by the PBS for the purpose of producing reliable indicators. Sources added that the chief statistician of the PBS claimed that the surveys could not be finalised on time due to political uncertainty. Meeting participants did not accept the explanation and inquired whether any minister issued instructions to stop the surveys. The chief statistician was not available for comments. PBS works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Planning. The meeting was informed that a majority of surveys had been conducted many years ago. A couple of surveys were held last fiscal year but their results were not ready. The finance minister had called the PBS to explain reasons behind the lack of availability of latest and credible data on poverty, unemployment, GDP growth and per capita income. The government's claim that the economy grew 2.7% in the last fiscal year is disputed by many independent experts. The finance minister had also promised to constitute a committee having representation from the private sector to probe the GDP growth figure. So far, he has not established the committee. The chief statistician told the meeting that the economic growth may remain close to 2.7% but the final position would be clear by September this year, said the sources. One of the reasons for disputing the 2.7% growth claim was that the government showed the livestock sector grew 4.8% while the last livestock survey had been conducted in 2005-06. The chief statistician explained that the bureau did not have the exact number of livestock but was working out the sector's growth based on how much fodder was being consumed every year by animals. Questions were also raised over giving 63.6% weight to livestock in the agriculture sector while the share of crops is only one-third. The meeting questioned the PBS for its failure to work out a reliable figure of per capita income. The government had claimed that the per capita income in fiscal year 2024-25 was $1,824 based on a low population number. The country also does not have the latest poverty number, as the last Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) was conducted in 2018-19. HIES measures the income and consumption patterns. The meeting was informed that the HIES 2024-25 field operation had been completed but results would be available by December 2025. About 2,000 blocks and 28,000 households have been covered all over Pakistan. HIES provides information about poverty, undernourishment, food insecurity and quarterly income and consumption patterns. The World Bank last month updated its global threshold to measure poverty, resulting in a significant jump in the number of people living below the poverty line in Pakistan. According to the new $4.20-per-day threshold, which replaced the $3.20 ceiling, poverty increased to 44.7% in Pakistan. The 44.7% figure was exclusive of any adverse impact of Covid-19 and the 2022 devastating floods in Pakistan. Compared to this, the official poverty rate is only 21.3%. The meeting was informed that the last Labour Force Survey had been conducted in 2020-21, which provided five-year-old data. The latest survey has been completed but results will be available in December. The labour force survey provides information about unemployment in the country. PBS also could not conduct the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) Survey, restraining policymakers from providing timely information about education, healthcare, housing, water and sanitation, information technology, food insecurity, disability and migration. There has been a phenomenal increase in migration from Pakistan due to the limited employment opportunities. But there is no survey to gauge it. The meeting was informed that the next round of PSLM is planned for 2026. The situation is also poor in the case of agricultural and manufacturing census and the government is producing GDP growth figures based on old manufacturing structures. The old manufacturing census did not capture the impact of latest disruptive technologies. The last manufacturing census was conducted in 2015 and the next is planned for 2026-27. It provides information on structural changes in large-scale manufacturing industries and assigns weight to the quantum index of manufacturing. Pakistan's national accounts are also based on 2015-16 data, which the PBS is now planning to shift to this year. In the fresh rebasing, the government will also capture economic growth at regional levels. The meeting was informed that the agricultural census field activities had been completed and the tabulation of findings was under process. The census will capture agricultural, livestock and machinery numbers.
