ISLAMABAD, June 22 (APP): Federal Minister for Planning,
Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday forwarded copies of recently launched Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) to all the four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) beside others.
Ahsan Iqbal forwarded copies of the MPI with Chief Ministers of all the four provinces, Chief Minister of Gilgit Baltistan and Prime Minister AJK beside Federal and State ministers.
“I am pleased to share a copy of Multidimensional Poverty Index launched by the Planning Commission on June 20, 2016”, Ahsan Iqbal
stated in a letter.
“Inclusive and balanced growth is critical goal of Pakistan Vision 2025. Poverty is a major threat for development and in order to eradicate poverty, it is important to understand it correctly”, he mentioned.
In this regard, Multidimensional Poverty Index has been developed in partnership with UNDP and Oxford. This report is a result of efforts spanning over more than one year, he said.
Ahsan Iqbal said that the Multidimensional poverty need not to be mixed with consumption based poverty which necessarily measures
outcome based poverty and not opportunity.
Pakistan has been reporting on consumption based poverty since
early 2000 and from this year, i.e. 2016, Pakistan will report on
both poverty measures.
He said, multidimensional poverty provides a basis for making
inclusive and equitable development plans leading to the prosperity
and stability in the country.
“I hope that this report will be helpful in development of inclusive growth plans and policies for your province by targeting
resources/initiatives towards more backward areas so that we can
create a more harmonious society”, he stated.
