ISLAMABAD, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has reiterated the government's commitment to uplift Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province, one of the most underdeveloped parts of the country.
Addressing a conference organized by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics in Balochistan's provincial capital Quetta, the minister stressed the need for investing in the higher education sector of the province to create upward social mobility in it.
Emphasizing the importance of inclusive development in the country, he said the government had started a special project to uplift 20 poorest districts of Pakistan, out of which 11 are from Balochistan.
The project is the first of its kind in the economic history of Pakistan where the federal government is undertaking a national intervention to uplift the poorest districts and address the disparity in economic development, Iqbal added.
He also highlighted a short-term economic agenda of the government with a specific focus on enhancing the prospects of enterprise, exports and equity in society through the strengthening of health and education sectors.
The identification of the 20 poorest districts for accelerated growth program, empowerment of youth, energy efficiency and conservation, the environment, and food security are part of it, the minister said. ■