KARACHI: Pakistan's gross domestic product (GDP) has grown to dollars 165 billion from $ 100 billion ten years back.
However, further consolidated efforts were needed under the public-private partnership for rightly exploiting the economic potential and the GDP volume should be at least $ 300 billion, said former federal minister for information Javed Jabbar.
He was speaking at a ceremony for introducing the annual review report (2009-10) on Social Development in Pakistan in perspective of the security crisis, here on Saturday.
The report is based on detailed studies and research conducted by Social Policy and Development Centre (SPDC). The SPDC is a non-government organisation engaged in research on economic and social issues mainly the basic rights/ facilities of the people.
Javed Jabbar said the SPDC provides guidelines to the Government functionaries in policy making and it has proved a good source for media consumption. He underlined the need for capacity building of the provinces as 18th constitutional amendment has shifted big responsibility on their shoulders.
"Now time is over for the provinces to blame the Federation or each other for a failure on social sector development but to prove their capacity," he remarked.
The former minister maintained that dealing with the increasing security threat to Pakistan as a fall-out from Afghanistan is the collective responsibility of the international community, especially the regional countries.
He acknowledged that China, Russia and Iran have raised voice in support of Pakistan in United Nations Security Council on the issue of terrorism.
Managing Director SPDC Dr. Khalida Ghous and a senior official of SPDC Asif Iqbal highlighted the research done on different social and economic issues mainly Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa province in the wake of terrorist incidents there after 9/11.
Khalida Ghous said failure of institutions and rule of law, and gender discrimination are the main focus areas of the SPDC research report. She assured that SPDC would utilise all its resources and expertise to touch all grey areas influencing the living standard of the people.
Asif Iqbal agreed that economic crisis and fiscal stress in the country should be discussed in detail.
The SPDC report maintains that political developments in the region have caused a change in the internal political and security dynamics of Pakistan with implications for its social and economic development.
The report explores various facets of the existing security crisis confronted by the government and society and its implications for socio-economic development in Pakistan.
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