Pakistan Observer
Published Date: Apr 13, 2017
Implementation on SDGs crucial for development
Besides the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at global level, realization of these milestones was equally important for the development and progress of Pakistan. Therefore, it was the national obligation for all the stakeholders to work together for better implementation on SDGs in a sustained and coherent manner. Azma Zahid Bukhari, MPA and Convener of Special Task Force Punjab on SDGs, said this while chairing the consultative meeting ‘Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A Way Forward’ jointly held by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Special Task Force Punjab on SDGs.
Besides others, the consultative meeting was participated by Members of Punjab Assembly (MPAs) including Mehwish Sultana, Dr. Nosheena Hamid, Amir Hayat Haraj, Sadia Nadeem, Adnan Farid and Waqas Hassan as well as Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director SDPI and representatives from international development agencies including UNICEF and UNDP.
Azma Zahid Bukhari on the occasion added further that since implementation on SDGs was crucial for the development of Pakistan, we need to work together for this shared objective regardless of our political affiliations. Abid Qaiyum Suleri, while highlighting various aspects of SDGs, said that we may draw the lessons from MDGs with a critical inspection that what stopped us short from achieving those early targets.
He said this serious soul searching would provide us opportunity to evolve better actions plans while implementing SDGs. He said that the desired results could not be achieved without building the capacity of district administrations around the SDGs. With 17 goals and 169 targets, the overall agenda of SDGs may seem over ambitious and thus we may not be able to achieve all of these but certainly some of these according to our national priorities.
He said that updating our legislators on the implementation on SDGs and keeping them well inform should be a continuous process. The participants earlier discussed the various aspects of SDGs to identify challenges and opportunities for implementing this global initiative that aims improve the living standards of the people without compromising the rights of future generations.
During the meeting, present state of implementation of SDGs, how SDGs are relevant in budget and planning and monitoring and implementation mechanisms as well as inclusive Governance and SDGs, allocation of resources, including NFC Award among federating units and localizing SDGs in accordance with the specific country situation or the province-wise priorities were discussed as areas of special focus.—PR
Source: http://pakobserver.net/implementation-sdgs-crucial-development/