“Pakistan
is committed to intensify efforts for achieving accelerated development through
a strategy that combines inclusive growth with green development under the 12th
Five Year Plan (2018-2023) which is currently under preparation”, said Mr.
Sartaj Aziz, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission while presiding over a
symposium to mark the conclusion of an Institutional Cooperation Programme
between Pakistan and Norway.
Mr. Sartaj Aziz thanked the Government
of Norway for providing financial grants amounting to Rs.600 million for
capacity building in different fields. He said that collaboration of Pakistani
institutes with their respective counterparts in Norway has played vital role
in promoting the key objective of capacity building in areas like cancer
diagnostics, accreditation, marine fisheries, seismic monitoring network
handling and tsunami modelling, petroleum studies, crop sciences and other areas.
He said that seventeen projects have been completed under this Programme. He
specially highlighted the importance of few projects like National Institute of
Laser & Optronics for early detection of deep seated tumor, Establishment
of Norwegian Centre of excellence for petroleum studies at NED University
Karachi, capacity building of Survey of Pakistan for preparation of
Geographical data for digital elevation model generation using high resolution
satellite images, School of Chemical and material engineering at NUST to
improve the quality and efficiency of natural gas and Pakistan National
Accreditation Council which will expand the recognition of Pakistani
institutions abroad.
Mr. Aziz also said that present
government has given shared vision that aims at ensuring the country’s success
in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of zero poverty and hunger and
universal access to health services, education, modern
energy services, clean water and sanitation by 2030.
Mr. Sartaj Aziz expressed the hope that
linkages developed between the institutes of both the countries will assist
Pakistani experts and institutes to share the new technologies with other
institutions in Pakistan.
