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QUETTA, Jan 14 (APP):Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti on Wednesday said that education and health are among the top priorities of the provincial government and sustainable development could not be achieved without improvements in these sectors.
He said this while talking to Luay Shabaneh, Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), a subsidiary of the United Nations called on him here.
The meeting discussed in detail the challenges being faced by Balochistan related to population, maternal and child health, youth and women’s welfare, and promotion of data-based policy making.
The meeting was attended by Parliamentary Secretary Population Agha Umar Khan Ahmadzai, Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan, Secretary Population Zafar Khan Buledi, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Babar Khan, and Head of UNFPA Quetta Sadia Atta.
During the meeting, it was agreed that a coordinated and effective provincial task force for population-related matters would be established in Balochistan, which would ensure coordination among different departments and monitor the effective implementation of policies related to population, health, and education.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti said that policy making would be aligned with modern requirements through advocacy and a strong data governance framework so that all decisions related to population could be made based on authentic data and evidence.
He clarified that education and health are among the top priorities of the provincial government and sustainable development could not be achieved without improvements in these sectors.
The CM stressed that institutional reforms are indispensable for improving maternal and child health indicators, while calling the welfare of youth and women the foundation of the province’s socio-economic development.
He said that investment in human development is the guarantee of a bright future for Balochistan.
While appreciating the policy priorities and reform initiatives of the Balochistan government, Luay Shabaneh expressed his determination that UNFPA would further strengthen its cooperation in projects related to population, health and human development in Balochistan and could continue to work in close collaboration with the provincial government.