Islamabad: In a concerted effort to align provincial economic policies with national development goals, Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, convened a high-level meeting with provincial planning ministers in Islamabad. The gathering aimed to rejuvenate the spirit of federalism and improve the coordination of development initiatives across the country.

According to Press Information Department, the session marked a return to the consultative meetings first initiated during the previous PMLN government from 2013-2018, focusing on integrating provincial projects with the Annual National Development Plan and addressing challenges in healthcare and education sectors. Minister Iqbal emphasized the necessity of a unified approach to tackle issues like rapid population growth and deficiencies in critical sectors, stressing collective efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The meeting also addressed Pakistan’s concerning healthcare and education metrics, with directives issued to the Federal Bureau of Statistics to gather data on out-of-school children and a commitment to fund universities through both federal and provincial budgets. Minister Iqbal announced plans for monthly consultative meetings with provincial counterparts to ensure continuous cooperation and progress on national development objectives.