“Development is not possible without public sector reforms and we are working with academia and research institutions like SDPI to move forward in reform of Civil Service, Taxation System, Policing, Criminal Justice System and Education”, said the Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, while meeting with Dr. Peter Taylor, from International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, which works in collaboration with Sustainable Development Policy Institution (SDPI) to support research in developing countries to promote growth and development through networking and knowledge sharing between scientific, academic, and development communities in the field of Agriculture, Health, Science and Innovation, and, Social and Economic Policies.

Federal Minister further said, “we appreciate the valuable input SDPI provided in the formation of our Vision 2025 through its engagement on inclusiveness, issues of energy, development, economy and social sector reforms. We are working to align national research agenda with our development priorities and goals so that there is development dividend for every rupee invested in research. Pakistan is lagging behind in social sector indicators and we plan to give social sectors to priority in our development strategy to develop our human resource potential according to world class standards.

Planning Commission is working on collaborative model to promote greater engagements between academia, research and government.” As a way forward for these institutions to enhance their cooperation and assistance in research and development, Federal Minister advised that SDPI should create linkages with the education institutions and launch a debate to bridge knowing-doing gape.