ISLAMABAD: Acting President Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has stressed strong institutional collaboration between the Parliament of Pakistan and United Nations to address national, regional and international issues.

Mr Gilani said that inclusive governance, economic development, human rights, Afghan refugees and other such issues need collaboration which would serve as a catalyst for policy reforms thus benefiting the most vulnerable segments of the society.

Talking to UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan Mohamed Yahya, Mr Gilani reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working closely with the United Nations.

The acting president appreciated the UN’s role in supporting Pakistan’s climate change adaptation measures particularly in ensuring access to climate finance, clean energy solutions and sustainable urban development.

He hoped that Mr Yahya’s leadership would be instrumental in mobilising international support for Pakistan’s climate action goals.

He assured the willingness of the upper house of the parliament to collaborate on policy level interventions that align with UN global mandate. Issues regarding polio vaccination, Afghan refugees were also discussed during the meeting.

The acting president called for more robust support to expand the vaccination circle in the far-flung areas of Pakistan with particular reference to Balochistan. He pointed out that thousands of Afghan refugees still live in Pakistan and UN must support and come up with a solution to address the refugees issue amicably.

He also highlighted the importance of strong collaboration between Pakistan and UN to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2025