Islamabad: Senator QuratulAin Marri, the Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, presided over a crucial meeting at Parliament House today, where major socio-economic strategies for Pakistan’s next five years were discussed, including the critical issue of population control and the development of a significant solar power project.
According to Senate of Pakistan, the meeting’s agenda centered on the objectives of the 13th Five Year Plan (2024-29), with Joint Chief of Economic Policy Zafar ul Hassan outlining the primary challenges and goals. Senator Marri emphasized the urgent need to address population growth, which was notably absent from the listed challenges. She highlighted that a growth rate of 2.5% could hinder sustainable development and stressed the necessity for a comprehensive strategy to manage the population size.
Zafar ul Hassan also shared the federal government’s objectives for the upcoming plan, which include enhancing human capital quality, combating hunger and malnutrition, advancing technological use, and improving agricultural productivity and efficiency. Additionally, he noted the financial constraints posed by the balance of payments on expanding the services economy, while Senator Marri urged for greater focus on the services sector, drawing parallels with Bangalore, India’s success in this field.
The committee also reviewed the status of a land acquisition for a new 1,200 MW solar plant in Tehsil Choubara, District Layyah. Deputy Commissioner Ameera Baidar reported a significant increase in land prices due to the proliferation of solar tube wells in the area. The price proposed by the District Administration was twice that estimated by the committee, leading to a recommendation to consider utilizing nearby forest land for the project to save costs.
In addition to discussions on economic planning and solar energy, the committee received updates on the operations of the National Logistics Corporation and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. It was recommended that officials from the National Logistics Corporation provide a detailed report of their financial audits and any theft or recoveries from the past decade.
The meeting was attended by several key figures, including Senators Atta ur Rehman, Shahadat Awan, Jam Saifullah Khan, Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan, Secretary for Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Awais Manzur Sumra, and other senior officials.