ISLAMABAD, April 25: Pakistan on Monday asked multilateral lenders and other development partners to fund its programmes relating to poverty reduction, social exclusion and environmental consequences in areas that hosted millions of Afghan refugees during the last two decades so that it could become a multiple corridor for energy, trade, tourism and transportation for the region.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told the participants of Pakistan Development Forum that Pakistan was looking for their support for a special programme to address issues of poverty and social exclusion because a strong, stable and economically vibrant Pakistan will be a source of strength for its people, for the region and the world at large.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the two-day PDF, the prime minister said sustained upward trajectory of Pakistan’s economy will offer vast opportunities for upgrading economic, trade and commercial cooperation with its regional partners and the world. “It will make Pakistan capable of serving the region as a multiple corridor for energy, for trade, for tourism, for transportation.” The theme of this year’s PDF is: “Sustaining Growth and Improving Quality of Life.”

He expressed the confidence that Pakistan will succeed in achieving the millennium development goals for the progress of its people with active support of its development partners.

The meeting of the Pakistan Development Forum, formerly Aid-to-Pakistan Consortium, is an annual feature ahead of the federal budget to provide an opportunity to the government to brief foreign diplomats, big trading partners and lenders on the country’s economic situation and funding requirements.

The prime minister said his vision for Pakistan is to see it a developed, prosperous, modern and enlightened Islamic state with a position of great respect and strength in the comity of nations.

For this purpose, he said, the government had adopted a future growth strategy which “rests on five pillars” – water security, energy security, infrastructure development, human capital development and second generation reforms.

Although Pakistan is moving ahead for sustainable growth, this growth and other correct policies cannot undo the follies of past decades and ensure long-term equity and social justice, and a lot of efforts will have to be made for the continuity of growth, he said.

Mr Aziz added that the government recognized that the journey of reforms must continue for sustaining growth, rural development, creating job opportunities and equitable distribution of income.

He said: “We consider the Pakistan Development Forum as an important opportunity to discuss the policy and new initiative that the government is taking to achieve the millennium development goals.”