PM Imran stresses on the need for long-term planning for Pakistan

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday stressed that long-term planning was needed in the country and said Pakistan was missing planning in every sector during the tenure of earlier governments.

“Today we have to do work which should have been done 50 years ago,” the premier said as he addressed a gathering at the launching ceremony of Pakistan’s first Green Eurobond (Indus Bond), launched by the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).

Imran added that Pakistan’s economy was booming in 1968 and the country was developing rapidly but unfortunately, future long-term planning in the country was lacking, he added.

“When I came back to Pakistan after playing in India, one felt that one had come to a very rich country from a poorer country,” he said. “But, eventually in 30 years, even Bangladesh has now progressed and is ahead of us.”

The premier also congratulated WAPDA’s management for laying out plans for building 10 dams in the next decade.

“It would not only produce 10k MW of electricity but would also produce clean energy which is environment friendly,” he said.

The prime minister further added that leaders have to think about climate change and how Pakistan is vulnerable to it. “We must plan for our future generation,” the premier stressed. “We have to take steps so that we leave a better Pakistan for them.”

Mentioning one of the long term projects undertaken by the PTI governnment, the prime minister said that the ambitious plan of planting 10 billion trees in Pakistan would be completed by 2023.

“It will not only have a positive impact on the environment but also in places where the trees are planted in the form of tourism, which would give livelihood to the people,” he said.

Lamenting that the pollution index had reached a dangerous level in Lahore, the premier said that the city was once known as a city of gardens.

He maintained that the long-term project of planting trees would also reduce pollution in such areas.

Referring to the country’s education system, Imran said the country had a fragmented syllabus for different students which has had a negative effect on society overall.

“Our education minister has worked exceptionally well in formulation a single curriculum for the students whereas madrasas (seminaries) would also be streamlined,” he added.

Mentioning another long-term project, the premier said that the health care system had been revolutionised by introducing the health cards.

“For the first time, the private sector is incentivising the health system as the government does not have the money to establish new hospitals,” he said and added that through the health card initiative, people would be able to get free health care in their areas.

Radio Pakistan reported that the WAPDA is issuing Green Eurobond to raise $500 million for the financing of Diamar Bhasha and Mohmand Dams on the basis of WAPDA’s stable financial position instead of state-guarantee.

The world’s largest financial institutions had shown extraordinary interest in Green Eurobond which is a sign of confidence in the stable financial position of Pakistan and WAPDA as well.

The extraordinary response to Green Eurobond in the world financial market had opened new avenues for the financing of big projects in Pakistan.