KARACHI, April 15: The United Nations Development Programme and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry will collaborate to form a working group to prepare the private sector to meet the challenges of free trade regime.

This transpired during a meeting of Onder Yucer, representative of the United Nations and resident representative of UNDP in Pakistan, with Sohail Altaf, vice-president and zonal chairman of the FPCCI, at the federation office, Islamabad.

Mr Yucer said the UNDP, which is the only international organization working in 166 countries for the elimination of poverty, desired to reduce poverty by half by the year 2015.

He further said that many countries did not have sufficient funds to spend on improvement of health and education services and water resources. "Now, if they want to bring about improvements in the life of their people they will either have to borrow or get assistance from other countries."

According to the FPCCI press release, Mr Yucer said that their main objectives were to eliminate poverty and improve health and education level - primary education compulsory and free for all children.

"Pakistan is playing active role and will continue to be significant among the nations. The business community of Pakistan institutionalizes voluntarily global compacts such as human rights, labour rights, environmental rights, etc."

Mr Yucer also informed the FPCCI members that if the proposed working group works in a positive way then the UNDP would give funds to meet the requirements of the environmental issues in Pakistan.

The FPCCI vice-president sought the UNDP assistance for the establishment and strengthening of institutions to alleviate poverty. Tehsin-ul-Haq, senior vice-chairman of the FPCCI, sought UNDP's help in resolving the environmental problems being faced by the Hattar Industrial Estate, Haripur.