ISLAMABAD, July 27: Devising a national budget aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will enable Pakistan to prioritize all the 17 goals in accordance with the need of our constituents and public at the lowest tier of society, said Speaker of the National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

He made the remarks while addressing the “National Meet on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030” in Islamabad. Ashraf said Pakistan had affirmed its commitment to the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development by adopting SDGs through a unanimous resolution in 2016 and emphasized the need for making joint efforts to achieve the targets set under the SDGs.

He said the Covid-19 had dealt a serious blow to the global economy and Pakistan’s prosperity. The pandemic is transforming how we think about our economies and societies, he added.

The National Assembly speaker said sincere efforts will be critical to ensure a green, resilient, and inclusive recovery from the pandemic. He said there were several factors affecting the SDGs implementation, including climate change, health, economic growth, poverty, gender inequality and socio-economic challenges.

According to the Sustainable Development Goal Index ranking 2021, Pakistan ranked 129th out of 165 countries, with an overall score of 58 percent, mainly for its progress on one of the 17 goals – climate action, he added. He said given the interdependent nature of the SDGs, national governance for the SDGs could only be effective when in accord with global governance for sustainability.

"Pakistan is a developing country where millions of people go to sleep without having a meal. We must join hands to ensure no one, especially children, are deprived of essential nutrients, which directly hinders their growth," Ashraf said.

He said the deteriorating health conditions in Pakistan with little to no access to health care services is yet another issue and it is legislators’ responsibility to provide equal and quality health services to all.

He said Pakistan experienced political and economic turmoil for decades. These conditions coupled with the impacts of natural disasters have made under-nutrition and malnutrition a huge concern in the country, he continued. Ashraf said over the past several years, the country had implemented initiatives to improve food security but the challenges surrounding food security still remained unaddressed at large.

"Building a world with zero hunger which can positively impact our economies, health, education, equality and social development is integral to building a better future for everyone.’’

He said Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to the consequences of climate change because of its diverse geographical and climatic features.

"Together we must pledge to protect our environment today, to leave a better tomorrow for our future generations."

He said it was imperative to take action and protect our climate in order to ensure sustainable development for the country.

He said the formation of national accountability and governance structures to track the nation’s progress on all global goals will also accelerate progress on each target.

Credits: INP-WealthPk