‘Govt expanding social safety net to transform lives’

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Syed Imran Ahmed Shah on Wednesday reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to strengthening partnerships, expanding the social safety net and scaling initiatives like Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress to transform lives with planning, purpose and resolve, ultimately paving the way toward a poverty-free Pakistan.

“Through inclusive development rooted in education and social safety, we not only transform lives but directly attack the roots of poverty. At the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, we believe poverty is not just about income deprivation; it is about marginalisation, lack of opportunity and unequal access to resources,” he said during a ceremony organised under the Poverty Alleviation GRASP initiative, themed on empowering women in the agricultural sector.

The minister said a prosperous Balochistan is key to the dream of a developed Pakistan. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attaches special priority to the development of Balochistan, and that his current visit has been undertaken on the Prime Minister’s directive to personally assess the region’s challenges, particularly those affecting children and girls, and to work closely with all stakeholders, especially the provincial government, for meaningful solutions.

“My heart beats with Balochistan,” he remarked, reaffirming his commitment to uplift the province’s youth, especially women and girls, through targeted poverty alleviation measures.

The minister announced 200 scholarships for underprivileged students of the Women University, along with 100 sewing machines for deserving women and 100 wheelchairs for disabled individuals of Balochistan. He further highlighted that Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal is providing health assistance worth up to Rs1.5 million to facilitate critical medical support.

“Through inclusive development rooted in education and social safety, we not only transform lives but directly attack the roots of poverty,” he asserted.

Elaborating on the broader understanding of poverty, the Minister noted, “At the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, we believe poverty is not just about income deprivation; it is about marginalization, lack of opportunity, and unequal access to resources.”