Secretary Planning Commission and Reform, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui addressing the National Dialogue

Dated : 16 October 2017

Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world. It falls among one of the 15 countries where 10 million people are over the age of 60. According to an estimate, 7% of Pakistan's population is over the age of 60 totaling to 13 million and it is expected to be 44 million by 2050 said the Secretary Planning.

Islamabad : 16 October, 2017 One day National Dialogue was organized by the Federal Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform in partnership with HelpAge International. While addressing the Dialogue, Secretary Planning Commission and Reform, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui said that it was a high time to pay attention to demographic transition happening all over the globe and focus on emerging development challenges posed as changing demographics are not just as numbers; they are the key determinations of our socio-economics and development policies for future development spectrum of the nation.

He said that Government of Pakistan also committed to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) in full spirit. we are committed that all segments of the population, the young and the old men and women of all ages are provided opportunities to fully participate and contribute in the development process and also reap the benefits of growth and development .
Secretary Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui maintained that the present government was determined to invest in human development, to carry forward the agenda, the current government has increased the allocation to RS 115 billion in the 2016-17.

He said that under the Prime Ministers Health Program, more than one million eligible beneficiaries were enrolled who belonged to vulnerable and poor strata of the society and provided health insurance for the treatment of chronic conditions which mostly effect people in old age. He concluded that the government of Pakistan, in line with its commitments to SGDs was in the process of finalizing a social protection framework.