Pakistan Economy Achieves Record Fastest Growth of 7 per cent in FY2006-07

Pakistan’s economy recorded one of the fastest growth rates in Asia during fiscal year 2006-07, which was surpassed only by China and India. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 7 per cent during fiscal year 2006-07 as compared with 6.6 per cent in FY06, but despite a visible slowdown in non-food inflation, inflationary pressures remained strong throughout the year, said State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Dr Shamshad Akhtar at a press conference here on Monday at the launch of the SBP Annual Report for fiscal 2006-07. The SBP governor said the GDP growth target of 7.2 per cent for FY2007-8 was achievable. She warned about persisting inflationary risks to the economy and said inflationary pressure might be further aggravated if international food commodity prices remained high or if fiscal compulsions drove the government to pass through a rise in fuel pries the face of rising international oil price.

Strength of food price inflation drove the annual average Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation for fiscal year 2007 to 7.8 per cent resulting in slippage of 1.3 per cent relevant to the annual target of 6.5 per cent.

Moreover, the food inflation remained in the double digits for most of the months of FY07 mainly due to rising food prices in the international market coupled with domestic supply shortage of some important minor crops and higher demand on the back of increasing income. Contrary to this, the average non-food CPI inflation declined to 6 per cent during FY07 which remained lower than that of the average non-food inflation of 8.6 per cent for FY06.The major contributory factor for slowdown in non-food inflation was transport, communication, house rent, fuel and lighting sub-groups. The SBP annual report said this was the fourth successive year of sustained high growth in the economy, with the average annual growth accelerating to 7 per cent during FY03-07 period. The continued strong performance of the services sector made major contribution to the FY07 outcome, while growth in agriculture and industry also witnessed improvement over the previous year. The services sector witnessed growth to 8 per cent against the target of 7.1 per cent, while in FY07 the agriculture sector grew by 5 per cent against the target of 7.1 per cent. The SBP report said sharp rise in value addition by crops in turns centered essentially around three major crops, ie, wheat, sugarcane, and gram recorded exceptional growth during FY07 and offset the disappointing growth in two other cash crops (cotton and rice). It further said the growth in livestock sector in FY07 was strongest in a decade (exceeded only by exceptional FY06 growth). Moreover, consequent to the robust demand of the sub-sector was attracting investment in the production, processing, transportation, and storage of dairy products. Similarly, the industrial sector witnessed moderate recovery with a 6.8 per cent growth during FY-07 compared with 5 per cent in FY06; however it was the second consecutive fiscal year when growth targets for the industrial sector remained unachieved. The highest growth was observed in the construction sub-sector with a growth of 17.2 per cent in FY07 compared with 5.7 per cent in FY06.

The large-scale manufacturing sector grew by 8.8 per cent down from 10.7 per cent growth in the preceding year. The LSM growth target was fixed at 13 per cent for FY 07.

During FY07, national savings rose sharply by 19.8 per cent in FY 07, raising its share in GDP to 18 per cent, the highest in the last four years.Shamshad Akhtar said the SBP continued with a tight monetary policy to strike a balance between reducing inflation and supporting sustainable strong economic growth. The headline CPI inflation while lower than FY06 remained high mainly due to continued strength of food inflation.

Fiscal deficit remained 4.3 per cent of GDP in FY07 same as of last year, and this was because the impact of an exceptional 18.6 per cent year-on-year growth in CBR tax collection and strong non-tax receipts was offset by a rise in expenditures. However, adjusted overall fiscal deficit in FY07 dropped to 3.9 per cent of GDP.

The country’s debt indicator continued to improve in FY07 with total debt and liabilities as a share of GDP drooped to 56.7 per cent in FY07. However, in absolute terms it rose by 10 per cent in FY07 to Rs 5, 024 billion, which principally reflects the country’s large current account and fiscal deficits.

The SBP governor said the increase in Total Debt Liabilities (TDL) was contributed by an increase in both domestic and external debt domestic debt recorded 11.9 per cent growth to reach Rs 2,597 billion, whereas External Debt Liabilities (EDL) stock recorded an 8 per cent YoY growth to reach $ 40.1 billion during FY07.

Two-thirds of the rise in domestic debt was caused by growth in floating debt (which comprises T-bills). Similarly, 62.5 per cent of the rise in EDL during FY07 was contributed by floating interest rates loans. “The rising share of short-term and floating rate debt in the country’s TDL indicates a relatively greater vulnerability of debt servicing costs of adverse future interest rate movement,” Dr Akhtar said.

The rates of growth of trade and current account deficits decelerated in FY07, however the size of current account deficit rose to $7 billion, 4.98 per cent of GDP. The country’s import bills, exports slowdown and income account deficit were the key factors that contributed to widening of the external current account imbalance.

Slowdown in export growth was broad based as the textile exports growth declined from last years average of 14.4 per cent to only 4.9 per cent during FY07, whereas non-textile growth declined from the last four years’ average of 19.2 per cent to only 0.6 per cent in FY07.

The poor rice, fruit and cotton crops together with EU ban on fish and fish preparations imports form Pakistan and industry-specific issues are considered as some of factors behind the sluggish growth in non textile export during FY07.

In addition, the broad-based slowdown in imports’ growth was mainly attributed to moderate decline in global oil prices, reduction in excess demand, gradual absorption of one-off impact of liberalizing of automobile and telecommunication sectors and improved domestic production of food items such as sugar and wheat.

The Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), one of the most active markets in the region, recorded a full year appreciation of around 38 percent during the year ended June 30, 2007, with the benchmark KSE-100 index closing at an all-time high at 13,772 points.

Aga Khan Foundation Invited to Join Development Gateway As Cooperating Organization

Dr. Anuradha Bhattacharjee, the Content Coordinator and Editor of dgCommunities today invited The Aga Khan Foundation to be on Board as Cooperating Organization with the Development Gateway. Dr. Tom Kessinger, the Key Contact at AKF is also invited to be on the Advisory Board, Development Gateway.

The Development Gateway Foundation provides Web-based tools to make aid and development efforts more effective. It offers innovative solutions that increase access to critical information, building local capacity and bringing partners together for positive change. The Development Gateway Foundation is a nonprofit organization with activities around the world.

Development Gateway ( http://www.developmentgateway.org/ ) is a web portal started by the World Bank to use the internet for connecting people, facilitating collaborations and networking, and to help development worldwide.The portal addresses multiple issues through knowledge gateways and each is subscribed to by thousands of members. The issue-based gateways are called dgCommunities.

The Aga Khan Foundation is a private, international, non-denominational, non-profit development agency established by His Highness the Aga Khan Fatimid Imam Caliph in Switzerland in 1967. Its fifteen offices are coordinated from Geneva. Common Board membership ensures consistency of policy and approach.

The foundation is part of the Aga Khan Development Network; a group of development agencies, institutions and programmes working to improve living conditions and opportunities for people in specific regions of the developing world. The network's organizations have individual mandates that range from the fields of health and education to architecture, rural development and the promotion of private-sector enterprise. Together they collaborate in working towards a common goal to build institutions and programmes that can respond to the challenges of social, economic and cultural change on an ongoing basis. They all emphasize community participation and volunteer involvement, local expertise, rigorous management of resources, appropriate technologies and ultimate self-sufficiency. The foundation works closely with, and makes grants to, the other members of the network.

Anuradha Bhattacharjee coordinates content for six dgCommunities:

http://topics.developmentgateway.org/hiv
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/gender
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/youth
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/culture
http://topic.developmentgateway.org/urban
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/glocalization

A development communications consultant based in Calcutta, she originally joined dgCommunities in 2003 as a guide. Today, she has built the partnership base of her dgCommunities to a total of almost 200 cooperating organizations. She has recruited volunteer guides for all of them and launched a robust series of online discussions. Membership in these communities has grown considerably. Culture and Development now boasts 13,000 members. Anuradha would like to see more NGOs and civil society organizations from the developing world come on board as partners and members so that, in her words, “they are represented and have a voice.” Private companies that have corporate social responsibility initiatives involved with development can also benefit from becoming a partner with the dgCommunities. “It has been a fulfilling year—and there is so much more we can do!” says Anuradha, whose infectious enthusiasm is reflected in the dynamism of her communities.
Anuradha is a specialist in Gender and Income Generation, Micro Finance, HIV/ Aids, Youth. Her work experience covers projects with the Government of India (National Aids Control Organization); State Governments; USAID; UNICEF; ActionAid; Janani and others – in the areas of Communication Strategy Development; IEC Campaigns; Communication Needs Assessment; Project Evaluation; Documentation; Work Palace Management of HIV/AIDS; et al. Career Milestones: Brand Communications – J. Walter Thompson, India; Public Relations – Mudra Public Relations, India; Corporate Communications – Haldia Pharmaceuticals, India; Marketing – Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, India.

Notes:
This year, the world is celebrating Golden Jubilee of the Imamat Caliphate of Prince Karim al-Hussaini Aga Khan (since1957). The 49th Fatimid Imam Caliph, His Highness Aga Khan is the direct lineal descendant of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) through his cousin and son-in- Aly, the first Imam Caliph, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter. Prince Aga Khan is the rope of love, wisdom and unity among interpretations of the Faith, and bridge of confidence between West and Muslims.

Fatimid Heritage Foundation (The FATIMID), Geneva Peace Development Centre (Geneva Peace), and Mountain Girls Education Development Program (MGEDP) support development activities to enhance knowledge, conciliation, inter faith harmony, peace and global pluralism to establish a more secure, equitable and prosperous world in accordance with the vision of His Highness Aga Khan.

Afghanistan Rural Microcredit Programme of Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance

Aga Khan Development Network in Afghanistan established the Emergency Microcredit Programme and the Rural Microcredit Programme, each of which was aimed at improving the economic security of the population and offering credit for start-ups, re-starts and the expansion of income-generating activities.
In March 2004, the Rural Programme was institutionalized into the Afghanistan Rural Microcredit Programme (ARMP), which provides a wide range of credit products to farmers and traders in rural provinces. It has also provided special credit for over-in debted farmers and financing for crop substitution in poppy growing areas. Loans have allowed some farmers to repurchase land sold during civil strife to poppy farming landlords and warlords, replant the fields with wheat and potatoes and acquire livestock.
At June 2006, ARMP was active in 39 districts and 9 provinces. In these areas, over 40,800 clients were served with loans totaling over US$ 29 million. This represents approximately one-third of the overall microfinance provision in the country. The institution’s efforts in building appropriate and accessible financial services in rural areas greatly complement AKDN activities in rebuilding the asset base of rural households and revitalizing markets and the rural economy. In particular, AKDN has closely linked its business development services and vocational training programmes with ARMP credit options.
The First MicroFinanceBank – Afghanistan
In 2004, the urban portion of the Emergency Microcredit Programme in Kabul was converted into The First MicroFinanceBank in Afghanistan. With a paid-up capital of US$ 6 million invested by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and, at a later stage by Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the institution was the first of its kind under the country’s new regulatory structure and was granted license #001 under the new banking law in the autumn of 2003. In 2005, the remaining urban portions of the Emergency Microfinance Programme in Pul-i-Khumri and the Urban Microcredit Program in Mazar-e-Sharif were also absorbed into FMFB-A.
The Bank provides credit and saving products as well as domestic and international payment services. It focuses on microenterprises, small businesses and the creation of productive sources of income and employment.
Beginning in Kabul and urban centres in the northeast of the country, the Bank will gradually expand to urban and rural areas of Afghanistan, with a view to opening 14 branches in the next three years. Its main goals are sustainability, broad geographical and service outreach and maximal impact.
From inception to June 2006, FMFB-A has provided over 18,000 borrowers with US$ 27 million in loans.
The establishment of the Bank is an integral part of the AKDN long-term commitment to contribute to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the economic infrastructure and civil society institutions in Afghanistan.
AKAM worldwide
Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance initiatives range from village lending cooperatives to self-standing microfinance institutions to full-fledged microfinance banks. These activities currently operate in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Pakistan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and Zanzibar. Often they are part of wider integrated development strategy being implemented by the AKDN within each country. In addition to providing financial services to the poor, they may include business or technical advisory/training extension services and business development programmes that work directly with local entrepreneurs.

Courtesy: Carmen Villegas Caballerro

Carmen has obtained her masters degree in International Cooperation and Development Programs and MSc in Sociology from the Paris III Sorbonne University. She is currently working as a Content Coordinator for the DG Foundation online information communities. She has worked as a consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank, the Group for the Analysis of Development, a Peruvian research center for the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, the French Ministry of Education and different NGOs. Her areas of interest imclude: education for minorities, microfinace, civil society, refugees and human rights.

Notes:

This year, the world is celebrating Golden Jubilee of the Imamat Caliphate of Prince Karim al-Hussaini Aga Khan (since1957). The 49th Fatimid Imam Caliph, His Highness Aga Khan is the direct lineal descendant of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) through his cousin and son-in- Aly, the first Imam Caliph, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter. Prince Aga Khan is the rope of love, wisdom and unity among interpretations of the Faith, and bridge of confidence between West and Muslims.

Fatimid Heritage Foundation (The FATIMID), Geneva Peace Development Centre (Geneva Peace), and Mountain Girls Education Development Program (MGEDP) support development activities to enhance knowledge, conciliation, inter faith harmony, peace and global pluralism to promote a more secure, equitable and prosperous world in accordance with the vision of His Highness Aga Khan.

Journalists are encouraged to use this url in their reports.

2008 World Development Report:Agriculture for Development

The latest World Development Report calls for greater investment in agriculture in developing countries and warns that the sector must be placed at the center of the development agenda if the goals of halving extreme poverty and hunger by 2015 are to be realized.
Titled ‘Agriculture for Development’, the report says the agricultural and rural sectors have suffered from neglect and underinvestment over the past 20 years. While 75 percent of the world’s poor live in rural areas, a mere 4 percent of official development assistance goes to agriculture in developing countries. In Sub-Saharan Africa, a region heavily reliant on agriculture for overall growth, public spending for farming is also only 4 percent of total government spending and the sector is still taxed at relatively high levels.
The World Bank Group is advocating a new ‘agriculture for development’ agenda. According to the WDR, for the poorest people, GDP growth originating in agriculture is about four times more effective in reducing poverty than GDP growth originating outside the sector. “A dynamic ‘agriculture for development’ agenda can benefit the estimated 900 million rural people in the developing world who live on less than $1 a day, most of whom are engaged in agriculture,” said Robert B. Zoellick, World Bank Group President. “We need to give agriculture more prominence across the board. At the global level, countries must deliver on vital reforms such as cutting distorting subsidies and opening markets, while civil society groups, especially farmer organizations, need more say in setting the agricultural agenda.”
According to the report, agriculture can offer pathways out of poverty if efforts are made to increase productivity in the staple foods sector; connect smallholders to rapidly expanding high-value horticulture, poultry, aquaculture, as well as dairy markets; and generate jobs in the rural nonfarm economy.
“Agricultural growth has been highly successful in reducing rural poverty in East Asia over the past 15 years,” said Francois Bourguignon, World Bank Chief Economist and Senior Vice President, Development Economics. “The challenge is to sustain and expand agriculture’s unique poverty-reducing power, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia where the number of rural poor people is still rising and will continue to exceed the number of urban poor for at least another 30 years.”
For its part, the Bank intends to continue increasing its support for agriculture and rural development, following a decline in lending in the 1980s and 1990s. Commitments in FY07 reached $3.1 billion, marking an increase for the fourth straight year.
DETAILED FINDINGS
The report also warns global food supplies are under pressure from expanding demand for food, feed, and biofuels; the rising price of energy; and increasing land and water scarcity; as well as the effects of climate change. This in turn is contributing to uncertainty about future food prices.
Agriculture consumes 85 percent of the world’s utilized water and the sector contributes to deforestation, land degradation, and pollution. The report recommends measures to achieve more sustainable production systems and outlines incentives to protect the environment.
The report says in agriculture-based countries—home to 417 million rural people, 170 million of whom live on less than $1 a day—the agricultural sector is essential to overall growth, poverty reduction, and food security. Most of these countries are in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the sector employs 65 percent of the labor force and generates 32 percent of GDP growth.
For Sub-Saharan Africa’s development, the report highlights issues to be urgently confronted: too little public spending on agriculture; donor support for emergency food aid with insufficient attention to income-raising investments; rich-country trade barriers and subsidies for key commodities such as cotton and oilseeds; and the under-recognized potential of millions of women who play a dominant role in farming.
In transforming countries such as China, India, and Morocco, agriculture contributes on average only 7 percent to GDP growth, but lagging rural incomes are a major source of political tensions. Dynamism in the rural and agricultural sectors is needed to narrow the rural-urban income gap and reduce rural poverty for 600 million poor while avoiding falling into subsidy and protection traps that will stymie growth and tax poor consumers.
In urbanized countries, mainly in Latin America and the Caribbean and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, agriculture contributes just 5 percent of GDP growth on average. However, rural areas are still home to 45 percent of the poor, and agribusiness and food services account for as much as one third of GDP. The broad goal is to link smallholders to modern food markets and provide remunerative jobs in rural areas.
The report says rich countries need to reform policies which harm the poor. For example, it is vital that the United States reduces cotton subsidies which depress prices for African smallholders. In the emerging area of biofuels, the problem is both restrictive tariffs and heavy subsidies in rich countries, which drive up food prices and limit export opportunities for efficient developing country producers. The report also asserts that industrialized countries that were the major contributors to global warming urgently need to do more to help poor farmers adapt their production systems to climate change.

Meanwhile as autumn began, FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance of AKDN partnered with the UN World Food Programme to ensure close to 1,000 MT of food reach isolated communities living in districts of north-eastern Afghanistan. Accessing the mountainous communities is challenging at the best of times, however FOCUS’ expertise, local voluntary capacity and knowledge of the local terrain has ensured that vital supplies are channeled through Kulyab in Tajikistan and transported to Darwaz in the Afghanistan province of Badakhshan. The route is made complex as the only accessible road to Darwaz is across the Tajik-Afghan border and back again at a different crossing.
Notes:
This year, the world is celebrating Golden Jubilee of the Imamat Caliphate of Prince Karim al-Hussaini Aga Khan (since1957). The 49th Fatimid Imam Caliph, His Highness Aga Khan is the direct lineal descendant of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) through his cousin and son-in- Aly, the first Imam Caliph, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter. Prince Aga Khan is the rope of love, wisdom and unity among interpretations of the Faith, and bridge of confidence between West and Muslims.
Fatimid Heritage Foundation, Geneva Peace Development Centre and Mountain Girls Education Development Program support development activities to enhance knowledge, conciliation, inter faith harmony, peace and global pluralism. It is an expression of love and devotion Ismaili Muslims have for His Highness Aga Khan.
Report and related material: www.worldbank.org/wdr2008
Journalists are encouraged to use this url in their reports.

Eight Million People In Urgent Need of Emergency Aid: Iraq Calling

Armed violence is the greatest threat facing Iraqis, but the population is also experiencing another kind of crisis of an alarming scale and severity. Eight million people are in urgent need of emergency aid; that figure includes over two million who are displaced within the country, and more than two million refugees. Many more are living in poverty, without basic services, and increasingly threatened by disease and malnutrition.This paper describes the humanitarian situation facing ordinary Iraqis and argues that, while violence and a failure to protect fundamental human rights pose the greatest problems, humanitarian needs such as food, shelter, water and sanitation must be given more attention. Although responding to those needs is extremely challenging, given the lack of security and of competent national institutions, Oxfam and the NGO Coordination Committee in Iraq (NCCI) believe that more could be done. The government of Iraq could extend the distribution of food parcels, widen the coverage of emergency cash payments, decentralise decision-making and support civil society groups providing assistance. The international donors and UN agencies could intensify their efforts to coordinate, fund and deliver emergency aid. These measures will not transform the plight of Iraqis but they can help alleviate their suffering. The paper focuses on needs inside the country, which are less visible, and does not refer in detail to the refugees in neighbouring countries.

Read here

Eleventh UNAMI report on the Iraq Human Rights situation

President Musharraf Writes History >> Creates Northern Areas Assembly >> Golden Jubilee “Nazrana” to Aga Khan Fatimid Imam Caliph, People.

His Excellency President General Musharraf in this Diamond Jubilee Year of the Creation of Pakistan, on Tuesday announced landmark constitutional and development packages for the Northern Areas inhabited by more than one million people.

“All the administrative and financial powers of the Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Ministry (KANA) will be transferred to the Northern Areas,” the president announced while addressing a large gathering of government officials and other notables of the area at the Military Auditorium in Gilgit where he inaugurated the 18 MW power project built at Naltar, about 40 kms from here. However, the judicial system currently functioning as an attached department of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas shall remain for the time being. “While the whole country is facing power shortage, this region will be one of the luckiest areas free of load-shedding,” the President said.

Under the new package, the existing Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC) would be upgraded as Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA). But currently the NALC is empowered to legislate only on 49 subjects in a 36-member council, which comprises 24 elected members, women and technocrats six each.

President Musharraf said that the new assembly would be empowered to elect its own head and that the Chief Executive of the House would be an elected member. He added that the new assembly shall prepare and approve its own budget forthwith.

He said that the Northern Areas Deputy Chief Executive would henceforth be called the Chief Executive of Northern Areas and the present Chief Executive /Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas would be the chairman, Northern Areas Government.

Contrary to the past practice, the elected assembly, after being empowered, would be able to move a no-confidence motion against the elected chief executive, speaker and deputy speaker of the assembly, the president said, adding that there would an Accountant General Office for the Northern Areas to carry out audit and account of the region.

One of the important announcements came after the president announced the creation of a new district in the region. “Hunza and Nagir sub-division would be the seventh district in the Northern Areas,” the president announced. He also announced the creation of two sub-divisions in the Baltistan region namely Dagoni and Raundo. Musharraf said that the cases of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) pertaining to corrupt officials of the Northern Areas administration would be transferred from Islamabad to Gilgit. He also announced remission of agriculture loans up to Rs 50,000, which would benefit about 12,000 people. In addition, interest on loans of more than Rs 50,000 would be waived.

A boundary commission under Deputy Chairman Planning Commission will be set up to resolve the boundary issues between the Northern Areas and the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), he said. President Musharraf announced to increase the regional development budget from Rs 6.5 billion to Rs 7.6 billion. He also inaugurated the expansion work of the Karakoram Highway (KKH), which would be carried out by the Chinese government up to Thakot Bridge.The president will visit the Baltistan region on the second day of his visit to inaugurate Sadpara Dam.

Northern Areas is currently being governed by the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas through the Northern Areas Legal Framework Order (LFO) 1994. This new system would be incorporated in the regional LFO.

People from all walks of life accorded the most rousing reception to President Musharraf, not seen before in the history of this region.

Notes:

Fatimid Heritage Foundation, Geneva Peace Development Centre and Mountain Girls Education Development Program support development activities to enhance knowledge, conciliation, inter faith harmony, peace and global pluralism. It is an expression of love and devotion Ismaili Muslims have for His Highness Aga Khan Fatimid Imam Caliph, 49th direct lineal descendant of Prophet Muhammad through his cousin and son-in-law, Aly, the first Imam-Caliph, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet's daughter. Aga Khan is the rope of love and wisdom among interpretations of the faith, and bridge of confidence between West and Muslims.The FATIMID, Geneva Peace, and MGEDP activities are focused to promote a more secure, equitable and prosperous world in accordance with the vision of His Highness Aga Khan.

Pakistan Actively Supports UN Reforms: Prime Minister Aziz

During a telephonic conversation with the United Nations Secretary General Ben Ki-moon, this Sunday, Prime Minister Aziz said of Pakistan fully supporting the UN reforms. The Pilot Project being undertaken in Pakistan for a single window UN system is proceeding quite well, the Prime Minister said.

The two leaders also discussed Pakistan’s role as the Chairman of G-77 group in ensuring that the UN activities reflect the aspirations and wishes of the developing countries.

They also discussed the efforts for the implementation of the decisions of the UN reforms meeting of the high-level panel, co-chaired by Prime Minister Aziz, Jens Stoltenberg, the Prime Minister of Norway, and Luisa Dias Diogo, the Prime Minister of Mozambique.

The United Nations Secretary General highly appreciated Pakistan’s role in ensuring regional peace and security as well as the contribution its armed forces made to the United Nations peace keeping operations in many countries around the world.

Notes:

Fatimid Heritage Foundation, Geneva Peace Development Centre and Mountain Girls Education Development Program support development activities to enhance knowledge, conciliation, inter faith harmony, peace and global pluralism. It is an expression of love and devotion Ismaili Muslims have for His Highness Aga Khan Fatimid Imam Caliph, 49th direct lineal descendant of Prophet Muhammad through his cousin and son-in-law, Aly, the first Imam-Caliph, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet's daughter. Aga Khan is the rope of love and wisdom among interpretations of the faith, and bridge of confidence between West and Muslims.The FATIMID, Geneva Peace, and MGEDP activities are focused to promote a more secure, equitable and prosperous world in accordance with the vision of His Highness Aga Khan.

Industrialized Nations, Global Financial Institutions Support Pakistan’s Economic Development Strategy for FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas)

Representatives from industrialized nations and global financial institutions, meeting on the margins of World Bank-IMF annual moot, discussed ways to complement efforts for socio-economic uplift of the mountainous tribal region of Pakistan as well as border areas of Afghanistan as they acknowledged the key importance of economic development in the region.

A presentation was made to the participants hailing from the United States, European Union, Canada, Japan and advanced Asian Pacific nations about Islamabad’s development plan, which aims at bringing socio-economic development to the areas with an outlay of $ 2.06 billion.

“The representatives were impressed with what Pakistan has done and the institutional arrangement it has put in place, and this should be a very successful plan for FATA” Dr. Salman Shah advisor to Prime Minister on Economic Affairs told APP after the conference. Under the plan, Pakistan will spend one billion $ over period of nine years (2006-15) while the United States has committed to provide $ 750 million over five years, which still leaves a gap of $ 250 million.

In his presentation, Dr. Shah spoke of the government’s commitment to economic well being of people in the rugged areas through realization of infrastructure and economic opportunities that may help the local populace integrate into the mainstream development of the country.

On mechanism for implementation of the development strategy, the participants were informed about the establishment of Civil Secretariat FATA, which will carry projects in human development sectors of education, health, water supply, sanitation and rural development. The FATA Development Authority established on a public-private partnership model will be responsible for execution of economic development sectors of industry, mining, commerce, trade, tourism and Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZ), and Rural Support Programme through Civil Societies is to focus on poverty alleviation with a livelihood centered approach to mountain people progress. The G-8 is also looking at further enhancing their support to Pakistan Development Plan for its FATA region.

Notes:Fatimid Heritage Foundation, Geneva Peace Development Centre and Mountain Girls Education Development Program support development activities to enhance knowledge, conciliation, inter faith harmony, peace and global pluralism. It is an expression of love and devotion Ismaili Muslims have for His Highness Aga Khan Fatimid Imam Caliph, 49th direct lineal descendant of Prophet Muhammad through his cousin and son-in-law, Aly, the first Imam-Caliph, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet's daughter. Aga Khan is the rope of love and wisdom among interpretations of the faith, and bridge of confidence between West and Muslims.The FATIMID, Geneva Peace, and MGEDP activities are focused to promote a more secure, equitable and prosperous world in accordance with the vision of His Highness Aga Khan.

REPUBLIQUE ET CANTON DE GENEVE Elections fédérales du 21 octobre 2007

Le 21 octobre, les électrices et électeurs suisses désignent leurs représentants au Parlement fédéral. Celui-ci est constitué de deux chambres, le Conseil national, également appelé Chambre basse, et le Conseil des Etats, ou Chambre haute. Ces deux chambres sont dotées des mêmes compétences et égales en droit.
Le Conseil national, représentant le peuple, compte 200 élu-e-s. Chaque canton y dispose d'un nombre de représentant-e-s proportionnel à sa population. Onze sièges sont à repourvoir pour Genève. Le Conseil des Etats, aussi nommé Chambre des cantons, totalise quant à lui 46 sièges, soit deux par canton, à l'exception des demi-cantons qui n'en comptent qu'un seul.
L'élection de chacune de ces chambres se fait selon un mode de scrutin différent. Les règles d’élection du Conseil national sont fixées par le droit fédéral : les membres de cette chambre sont élus au système proportionnel. L’élection des conseillers aux Etats est réglée par le droit cantonal. A Genève, il s’agit d’une élection majoritaire, dont le seuil est fixé au tiers des suffrages exprimés. Un second tour est possible, si deux candidats n’atteignent pas ce seuil.
Pour mieux saisir les enjeux de ces élections, vous trouverez sur ces pages la liste complète des candidat-e-s au Conseil national et au Conseil des Etats, un glossaire ainsi qu'une présentation des deux systèmes électoraux en vigueur lors de ces scrutins.
Rendez-vous à Uni Mail pour vivre ces élections au contact des candidats et des médias et sur http://www.geneve.ch/ pour suivre les résultats en temps réel!

Elections 21.10.2007

Notes:

Fatimid Heritage Foundation, Geneva Peace Development Centre and Mountain Girls Education Development Program support development activities to enhance knowledge, conciliation, inter faith harmony, peace and global pluralism. It is an expression of love and devotion Ismaili Muslims have for His Highness Aga Khan Fatimid Imam Caliph, 49th direct lineal descendant of Prophet Muhammad through his cousin and son-in-law, Aly, the first Imam-Caliph, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet's daughter. Aga Khan is the rope of love and wisdom among interpretations of the faith, and bridge of confidence between West and Muslims.The FATIMID, Geneva Peace, and MGEDP activities are focused to promote a more secure, equitable and prosperous world in accordance with the vision of His Highness Aga Khan.

President Musharraf Approves Legal Framework Order to Extend Local Government System in Northern Areas of Pakistan

President General Musharraf has approved the Legal Framework Order (LFO) on devolution of power at grass roots level and introduction of local government system in Northern Areas, historically the Aga Khan State. The President accorded approval to the LFO while presiding over a high-level meeting held in Rawalpindi on Saturday. Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Maj (r) Tahir Iqbal, Deputy Chief Executive Northern Areas Mir Ghazanfar Ali and high ranking officials attended the meeting to review development programme for Northern Areas including matters relating to LFO, Hydropower projects and other schemes.

Addressing the meeting, President Musharraf said Northern Areas would be brought at par with other parts of the country in terms of development, and quality of life of the people of these areas will be improved.

Speaking to media after the meeting Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas said that work was underway on formulation for installation of local government system in Northern Areas adding “we have given detailed briefing to the President at the meeting in this respect which he has graciously appreciated.” The power will be devolved at grassroots level in Northern Areas with the introduction of LFO there. Administration which rested with Minister for Kashmir Affairs as Chief Executive will be transferred to Deputy Chief Executive and elected local representatives of the people.

In the meantime President Musharraf issued orders for renovation of Gilgit and Skardu airports with instructions to enhance PIA flights for Northern Areas.

Notes:
Fatimid Heritage Foundation, Geneva Peace Development Centre and Mountain Girls Education Development Program support development activities to enhance knowledge, conciliation, inter faith harmony, peace and global pluralism. It is an expression of love and devotion Ismaili Muslims have for His Highness Aga Khan Fatimid Imam Caliph, 49th direct lineal descendant of Prophet Muhammad through his cousin and son-in-law, Aly, the first Imam-Caliph, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet's daughter. Aga Khan is the rope of love and wisdom among interpretations of the faith, and also bridge of confidence between West and Muslims.
The FATIMID, Geneva Peace, and MGEDP activities are focused to promote a more secure, equitable and prosperous world in accordance with the vision of His Highness Aga Khan.