PDF meeting from May 12

Published April 11, 2003

ISLAMABAD, April 10: A three-day meeting of the Pakistan Development Forum (PDF) will be held here on May 12-14 to discuss Pakistan’s economy and propose measures for its improvement.

Official sources said on Thursday the PDF, formerly known as Aid to Pakistan Consortium, will be jointly presided over by World Bank Vice President Meiko Nishimizu and Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz.

The meeting would also be attended by senior officials of the IMF, the World Bank, bilateral donors and various United Nations agencies.

The sources said focus of the meeting would be to discuss measures for poverty alleviation by creating more fiscal space. However, the meeting would avoid proposing new taxes for achieving any new resource mobilization.

Privatisation and Investment Minister Dr Hafeez Shaikh would present the report of his task force on investment during the meeting.

The sources said there would be thorough review of the public expenditure with a view to finding out more resources for the social sectors, specially health, education and rural development.

“Like previous PDF meetings, the donors would not be announcing any funding line for Pakistan,” an official of the Planning Commission said.

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