Govt trying to meet poverty reduction goals: Qureshi

UNITED NATIONS: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the world community on Tuesday that despite adverse effects on Pakistan’s economy stemming from twin challenges of the war on terror and the devastating floods, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) remained centrepiece of government’s development efforts.

“We are committed to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals and keen to work with the international community to turn the challenges into opportunities,” Mr Qureshi said in a speech to a UN General Assembly meeting on MDGs.

More than 140 heads of state and government are attending the meeting convened to take stock of the progress so far towards the MDGs which include slashing poverty, combating disease, fighting hunger, protecting the environment and boosting education and to determine what else needs to be done to reach the goals by their target date of 2015.

“Until a few years ago, we were on track to achieve a number of Millennium Development Goals and targets,” he told the 192-member UN General Assembly.