Finance minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh urged the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FODP) Team to fast track the implementation process in order to consolidate democracy and support the social and economic development of the country. The meeting decided to form a committee comprising representatives of ministry of commerce, water and power, planning commission, foreign affairs and economic affairs division to ensure continuous cooperation with FODP member countries. This committee will review the progress, achievements and status of the implementation of reports and find causes of slow progress by FODP.
The High Commissioner of United Kingdom and ambassadors of United States, Germany, and Japan were briefed about economic reforms in the realm of macro-economic stability framework, with main focus on the energy sector recovery programme. While talking to them, the finance minister said the present democratic government attaches tremendous importance to the resolution of the energy issue as it is related to the overall security and the democratic set up in the country. He said with coordinated effort of line ministries, an energy sector recovery programme has been formulated. He also said in a broader sense certain aspect of the energy issue is related to economy and social development and ultimately to the democratic set up in Pakistan. The ambassadors of the FODP countries and the finance minister agreed upon the nature of FODP as a political forum and not a donor club.
Their discussions thus went on to talk about measures to strengthen bonds of cooperation between FODP and democratic Pakistan; they also maintained that strong Pakistan meant a democratic Pakistan. The minister asserted that the FODP should focus on terrorism which is variably and invariably hampering the economic development of the country. The finance minister apprised the diplomats of the steps taken by the government for upgrading the level of development in the province of Baluchistan; which included, the doubling of the funds, allocation of more resources and recruitment of youth in the public sector organisation and government departments. He also highlighted the educational programme there.
