CM stresses women’s empowerment for prosperity

Foreign delegation emphasises sustainable policies

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has highlighted the importance of focusing on women's empowerment for progress and prosperity.

Speaking to a delegation from the World Bank, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, she stressed the need to empower women in social and household matters.

During the meeting, emphasis was placed on the need for effective and sustainable policy implementation.

According to a statement, agreement was reached on collaboration to achieve population welfare objectives. A review of aligning resources for achieving family planning programme goals was also conducted. Recommendations and suggestions were also discussed for improving service delivery in the health and population welfare departments.

The delegation expressed the commitment to continue collaborations with the Punjab government for public welfare.

The chief minister also mentioned the establishment of basic health units throughout the province for mothers and children.

The health and population welfare departments are jointly working to achieve the objectives, she concluded.

The delegation included senior health specialist Mano Bhattacharya from the World Bank, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Health Adviser Dr Sarah Shahzad, Dr Luay Shabaneh from UNFPA Pakistan, Provincial Spokesperson Tania Durani from UNFPA, Programme Analyst Husna Cheema and Programme Associate Momina Asad. Senator Pervez Rashid, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman and others were also present.

Meanwhile, chairing a meeting to review the facilities available and issues faced by Special Economic Zones in Punjab, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said, “We want to set up industrial estates on a plug and play model.” She said the government would fix issues of the past by providing maximum facilities to the industry.

The chief minister expressed indignation at the failure of the institutions concerned to promote industry in the province, and issued directives to change the heads and boards of the industrial estates over their poor performance.

”A performance audit of heads of Industrial estates and their teams will be conducted,” she said.

The chief minister highlighted, ”An industrial estate should be used for the same purposes for which it was established.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2024.