Media Coverage

SDPI - 20^th Sustainable Development Conference (Morning Sessions)

ISLAMABAD: (Dec 05, 2017): Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Prof. Ahsan Iqbal has said that rule of law and peace is the need of hour and the bigger development projects like China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will guarantee peace and sustainable development to the whole South Asian region.

He was speaking at the opening plenary of the three-day 20^th Sustainable Development Conference (SDC) organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in Islamabad on Tuesday.

The minister said CPEC is a tool for enhancing regional connectivity and not a conspiracy, and it is in the interest of greater economy of the region. He said our government has contributed 7000 additional MW of electricity and the addition of further 3000 MW of electricity to the national grid in the next 6 months will boost the economic activity in the country. “Our government has been able to produce 10,000MW of electricity, compared to 16,000 added during the past 66 years. “We need to become an economic nation instead of a political one,” he said.

Ahsan Iqbal claimed our current growth rate is 5.3% and we would be able to touch 6% in the upcoming years. In order to pursue growth trajectory, he added, we need to make investments and fix our energy crisis. “International community feels confident about our economic growth despite certain pressures, he maintained.

He said that it is imperative to understand that industries are becoming global and the concept of one country industry is decreasing with the inception of iPhone and Samsung type conglomerates. Investments are becoming global and we need to understand that in this golden age, information cannot be restricted.

SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said today’s South Asia is a democratic region where stagnant economic conditions of the pre-independence era have now transformed into an economic dynamism.

“We are free to choose the people we want to be ruled by. We are free to live under a political system of our own choice,” he said, adding that “We have reduced poverty on a massive scale, and our products and services are competing in the world.”

However, he said, our economic scenario is still not able to address structural inequalities, and our economic growth has made the difference between the rich and the poor as obvious as the one between glittering high-rises of Karachi, Mumbai, or Dhaka and the slums just underneath them.

In his keynote address, former State Bank Governor Dr Ishrat Hussian said that in the first 40 years, the economic growth of Pakistan stood at 6 to 6.5% increase while India’s economy was at 3%. However, from 2000-2015, there is a decline in Pakistan’s growth at 4 to 4.5%.

Bangladesh has even surpassed Pakistan, as currently it stands at 6 to 6.5%. Bangladesh’s current exports for 2016 were $35 billion whereas Pakistan’s exports were $21 billion in 2016. To improve the current condition, Dr Ishrat reiterated that policies need to be implemented, as efficient, strong, capable institutes make an economy functional. If the efficiency decreases, the cost and the competitive edge will also decrease, he said. He proposed that good governance and inclusive institutions can help promote economic integration in Pakistan.

Earlier, Chairperson, SDPI Board of Governors, Shafqat Kakakhel welcome the conference participants and shared with them the Institute’s 25 years of history.

Later, a documentary was screened to mark the 25^th anniversary of the Institute. SDPI’s publications, including anthology titled Sustainable Development: Envisaging the Future Together; Annual Report 2017; Journal of Development Policy, Research and Practice; Policy Briefs on Sustainable Development, besides a book titled Pakistan’s Agenda for Economic Reforms by SDPI’s Deputy Executive Director Dr Vaqar Ahmed was also launched on the occasion.

Post inaugural plenary concurrent sessions

Speaking at a session titled Challenges and Potential of SMEs Sector Financing in Pakistan and a Way Forward through CPEC, Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance Dr Miftah Ismail said SMEs should be a local economic venture, with focus on industrial zones as facilitators with a national development innovations as key to economic development. Industrial zones, therefore, are the backbone of economic development under CPEC.

Mir Salman Ali said special Economic Zones are the new models of economic growth planned under the CPEC with 46 zones and 9 priority Special Economic Zones, which will receive special economic incentives, regulations and focus.

Dr Ishrat Hussein said equity expansion and quality human resources are both crucial and inescapable conditions for success. Additionally, regulations must continue to be separated and specialized for SMEs, as this is part of a programme for broader financial and regulatory reforms, he added.

Stressing the need for a pragmatic approach, Dr Daniel Poon from UNCTAD, Geneva highlighted the complex interwoven structure of development finance, infrastructure projects, multilateral development banks, etc. for new development paradigm.

At a concurrent session on ‘Improving Connectivity and Regional Integration in Central and South Asia, Sartaj Aziz, Deputy Chairman, Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms, said any future progress on regional integration will sustain if peace and stability in Afghanistan comes about. This is not possible without Pakistan’s support to the international community and we will do all that we can to help Afghan reconciliation process. He said Pakistan is an important force behind keeping trans-boundary energy and resource sharing agreements on track. CPEC has paved the way for foreign investment in the country and has enabled Pakistan to connect to all countries using this concept of One Belt, Road Initiative, he added.

Mr Safdar Pervez from Asian Development Bank, Manila said Pakistan stands at the cross roads and can extend regional cooperation among South Asian countries. CAREC is a programme that is trying to promote regional cooperation in all forms, connecting people across the region eventually to increase trade and investment opportunities.

Xiahong Nang from Asian Development Bank said efficient infrastructure is an important element for regional cooperation. Trade patterns are changing very much between emerging and developing countries and ultimately Pakistan has great potential to trade with CAREC countries. There is a dire need to diversify the basket of exportable items. Tax regimes need to be re-formulated to improve trade and promote SMEs by providing them with access to credit. He added.

Imran Shaukat from Jobs Group said CAREC and CPEC are international visions and among all countries, China is the only country promoting globalization and working on regional cooperation. He stressed the need to help agro-based countries like Pakistan to bring forward the potential for export promotion.   

Speaking at a concurrent plenary session on ‘Harnessing Private Sector’s Role for Sustainable Development,’ Chairman of Nestle, Pakistan, Syed Yawar Ali said Public-Private Partnerships and collaborations between business and social community is crucial for meeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Shakeel Ramay from SDPI said engagement of private sector in sustainable development demands formulation of new instruments and policies along with a platform where different networks can gather to consolidate different policies.

Michael Williamson from UNESCAP lauding the incorporation of SDGs in businesses said that UNESCAP’s special focus is on SDG 8, 9, and 13 to strengthen the role of private sector.

Shakeel Ahmad from UNDP gave the idea of Blended Finance to attract investment from private sector and discussed the steps for financing the SDGs in Pakistan.

Zubair Tufail from FPCCI said that large-scale unemployment is the real problem, so private sector must focus on creating employment opportunities.

Speaking at a session on ‘Women Access to Justice: Ending Violence against Women’ Ms Bandana Rana, Member of UN CEDAW Committee, said Pakistan and India has the reservation against Article 16 that deals with the issues pertaining to marriage, divorce ad married life. States have to translate suggestion/recommendation by the CEDAW committee and disseminate it to the large audience.

Mr Pranav Adhikari from Nepal linked gender equality and empowerment with the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to him SDG’s cannot be achieved unless women goal 5 will be achieved. He was of the view that both men and women are subject to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV).

Nargis Asad from Aga Khan University Karachi was of the view that psychological violence is part of every type of violence. “Different societal structures plays a vital role in prevalence of IPV. “Lack of education, intelligence, unemployment, poverty and use of drugs is the main causes of IPV. Both love and arranged marriage also contribute to the prevalence of IPV”.

Ms Khawar Mumtaz concluded that compliance of the existing laws needs to be taken into consideration.  She said role of civil society is critical in this regard as they are mandated to monitor the progress at different levels.

Speaking at a conconcurrent session on ‘Political economy of South Asia: Stories from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh’, Afrasiab Khattak said history is just like a mirror, wherein we have to look in the past but carry on our journey towards the future.

Mr Khattak said feudalism, military quos, Arabization of Pakistan and building Pakistan as a national security state has derailed the system of nation-building. He said that the literature and history has been manipulated over times by different rulers according to their will.

I.A Rehman highlighted the economic stability situation of south Asian countries and said that Bangladeshi mindset is of progressive nature. The session stressed the importance of history which is necessary to be studied in all its perspectives.

The discussion moved around a book titled: ‘Political history of Pakistan’ written by Ahmed Salim. The book covered 30 years of Pakistan history in four volumes.

Speaking at a session on Innovative Climate Finance Mechanisms for Financial Institutions, Dr Saleem Zia from Pakistan Mortgage Re-Finance said commercial banks need capacity building and awareness on green financing. Commercial banks should have 3% of their own green portfolio, he added, adding that the banks need incentives for the implementation of green finance guidelines and State Bank will provide 60% funds in case there is some loss on any project done using these guidelines.

Ms Aneta Nikolova from UNESCAP said there is a knowledge platform related to green financing namely SDG help desk, and UNESCAP is expecting Sustainable Development Policy Institute to promote it so that people might get awareness.