PM’s decision to hold census shows govt commitment for resolution of social problems on priority: Marriyum

ISLAMABAD, Dec 16 (APP): Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb Friday said that the Prime Minister announcement to start census from March 15, next year was manifestation of the fact that the government wanted to resolve social problems on priority basis.
Speaking as the chief guest at the concluding session of a seminar on “Population Dynamics: Key for Ensuring Sustainable Development Goals” here she said that it was priority of the government to hold census before 2018 and it would prove a milestone.
She said that achievement of social sector targets was a difficult task and the government needed the support of provinces, civil society, media and religious scholars.
She said that her ministry will play its role for projection of social sector material to create awareness among the masses.
The minister said that the population welfare was one of the top priorities of the present government as without investment in human development, economic development was not possible.
She expressed the confidence that in coming days, good news would come and Pakistan’s march towards prosperity would continue.
She said that media should come forward and fulfil its responsibilities towards human development issues. She said that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) would be asked to issue directive to electronic media to give 10 per cent time to social sector messaging so that masses were educated on social issues.
The minister said that the federal and provincial governments were on one page on the issue of social sector challenges being faced by the nation.
She told the participants of the seminar that Pakistan was the first country which had a parliamentary secretariat on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and it had integrated SDGs with its Vision 2025.
She said that there was need to train media professionals on sustainable development goals and a training workshop was organised for Parliamentary Reporters Association (PRA). She said that media could do advocacy on areas of health, education, women empowerment, climate change etc by highlighting the issues in these areas.
She said that state media including Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television had over 90 per cent outreach which could be utilized for creation of awareness among the masses.
She said that if one province sets a good example, others should follow it. In that regard she said Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had hired services of Punjab IT Board to follow Punjab’s example in social sector.