Govt working for socio-economic uplift: Hina

ISLAMABAD - The National Assembly has been informed that the incumbent Government is working on a nine-point agenda for rapid socio-economic uplift of the people.
Aimed at overcoming socio-economic issues of the country, the Planning Commission has evolved a new five-year development plan and that would be implemented in 2011, Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Hina Rabani Khar told the Lower House of the Parliament during the question-hour session.
The State Minister pointed out that energy crisis was the main issue of the country and the incumbent Government was making efforts to overcome it. She further said that the Government was giving special attention on provision of improved educational facilities to the people. Due to improvement in the life expectancy, the number of youth is increasing in the country, while mortality rate has been coming down for some years.
The Government, she said, is working on a strategy to create more employment opportunities for the youth and training opportunities are being provided to them so that they could get good jobs.
Pakistan Development Forum is an important place to discuss development agenda with the donor countries, however, its regular meetings could not be held during the last two years due to various reasons, she added.
To another question, Interior Minister Rehman Malik informed the Lower House of the Parliament that special desks had been established in various Pakistan embassies to issue national identity cards to overseas Pakistanis.
The Minister said NADRA outlets would be set up in all the embassies during next five years. Federal Minister for Commerce, Amin Fahim informed the House that a three-year trade policy had been announced by the Government with special emphasis on enhancing exports to ensure trade balance.