Ministry told to plan provision of basic amenities to citizens

Islamabad: President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday directed the Ministry of Climate Change to make a comprehensive plan for the provision of basic amenities like clean water, sanitation and hygiene to all citizens.

He also called for taking the provinces on board to ensure the effective execution of the plan across the country. The president said this while addressing the inauguration ceremony of the seventh South Asian Conference on Sanitation here.

Federal Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah Khan and ministers and delegates from South Asian countries were also in attendance. The president said if the South Asian countries didn't learn to overcome their problems, then the future generation would have to suffer from its repercussions.

"It is necessary to promote mutual cooperation by rising above the differences for the prosperity and well-being of the people," he said.

The president said South Asian countries faced the problems of similar nature and therefore, mutual consultation, interaction and cooperation were imperative for their solution. He said the current era belonged to Asia and South Asia was the heart of the world.

"The whole world is looking towards us. The economic corridor is reducing distances between different regions and it has laid the foundation for a new age of regional development and prosperity," he added.

The president said clean environment in South Asia was essential for the welfare of the people and economic development. He said basic amenities should be easily available to the people according to the international standards so that life could flourish in this region and investors from all across the world could invest here without any reservations.

The president said Pakistan had witnessed unprecedented progress in the field of sanitation and hygiene during the last three decades. "In 90’s, these facilities were available to only one-fourth of the total household. It was a major challenge but the government has faced it with commitment and strategy," he said, praising the Maldives and Sri Lanka for making similar achievements.

The president said all our citizens should have access to basic necessities of life and he was confident that the target would be easily achieved under the vibrant leadership of minister Mushahidullah Khan.

The climate change minister, who was also in attendance, said the facility of the clean toilet was available to 86 per cent of the population in Pakistan. He said the government had taken numerous steps to protect the environment. The president later distributed souvenirs among the delegates and participants.