Pakistan seeks a poverty-free Asia-Pacific: Dar

Pakistan would soon move to a path of poverty reduction and improvement in other socio-economic indices, Dar says

FRANKFURT: Pakistan shares the Asian Development Bank (ADB) vision of a poverty free Asia-Pacific region, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said.

Regional connectivity and cooperation was a key pillar of ADB’s policy and also one of the seven elements of Pakistan’s Vision 2025, he said addressing the first business session of ADB annual meeting. “I renew my country’s commitment in the realisation of ADB’s vision of an Asia-Pacific region that is poverty-free,” Dar said. Pakistan intends to expand its trade and investment links with the region in the East, West and Central Asia, he said.



Highlighting significant achievements during last two and a half years, the minister said Pakistan’s economy had continued to demonstrate resilience to cope with security challenges, war against terrorism and consistent floods resulting from climate change.

Pakistan would soon move to a path of poverty reduction and improvement in other socio-economic indices, Dar said. The government highly appreciates the role of ADB in formulation of Country Partnership Strategy for the year 2015-19 that would focus on infrastructure development to help attract private investment, boost productivity and create jobs. “ADB has indicative assistance of $4 billion for the three-years (2016-18),” Dar said.



Separately, Dar met Annette Dixon, Vice-President of the World Bank on the sidelines of the ADB’s Annual Board of Governors Meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2016.