Islamabad (GNP): Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal met with Sam Waldock, Development Director at the British High Commission in Islamabad, to discuss Pakistan’s development priorities, ongoing institutional reforms, and areas of bilateral cooperation.
Iqbal emphasized the importance of strengthening local governance structures and ensuring greater devolution of resources and authority to district-level administrations, in line with the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
He outlined the government’s 5Es framework under the URAAN Pakistan initiative and requested continued UK support for efforts related to export growth, climate resilience, human development, and civil service reform.
The Minister also underscored the significance of demographic planning, fair distribution of resources, and early childhood development programs — including public awareness campaigns focused on nutrition, sanitation, and access to clean drinking water.
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In response, Sam Waldock reaffirmed the UK’s continued commitment to supporting Pakistan’s development agenda, with particular emphasis on climate resilience, disaster preparedness, and adaptation efforts, expressing his readiness to maintain close cooperation going forward.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
