World facing challenges such as terrorism, extremism: Ahsan Iqbal

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ISLAMABAD: Planning, Development and Reforms Minister Ahsan Iqbal remarked on Monday that the world is facing challenges such as terrorism and extremism.

“In the changing world scenario, no one country can combat security, environmental and other issues alone. We have to combat challenges together,” he remarked while addressing the 28th meeting of Regional Planning Council of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). The four-day meeting began in Islamabad on Monday.

Ahsan remarked we will have to ensure conservation of natural resources for our succeeding generations.

Addressing the forum, he said: “the world is not as connected as before. Today, we have great opportunities to leverage these technologies to make our programme move forward. The need for the physical presence for people is increasingly becoming less important. The cyber world is connecting all of us.”

The planning and development minister also urged for wide-range cooperation among the ECO member states for economic development and prosperity, adding that focus must be placed on human resource development for economic development.

ECO Special Conference on Afghanistan is also planned to be held on the sidelines of the meeting. The "ECO Day 2017"will also be celebrated on the sidelines of the meeting on Thursday.

'Terrorism curtailed to large extent'

Iqbal, who also holds the portfolio of the Interior Ministry, said on Sunday that the government has managed to eliminate terrorism to a large extent.

“The government has curtailed terrorism to a large extent and people in Pakistan are now spending peaceful lives,” Iqbal said as he inaugurated the New Sabzi Mandi in Narowal.

Terrorism curtailed to large extent: Ahsan Iqbal

'Govt has curtailed terrorism to large extent, people in Pakistan now spending peaceful lives'

Discussing the electricity deficit and subsequent load shedding in the country, the minister claimed that Pakistanis are being provided an uninterrupted power supply for 22-hours.

“There used to be a 22-hour load-shedding schedule in the past, but the situation has changed now,” he said. “Citizens have access to an uninterrupted power supply for 22-hours.”

The interior minister further said that Pakistan is faced with ‘many international conspiracies.’

“Our enemies are afraid of our economic development,” he said. “Pakistan is an atomic power and can become an international power to reckon with if it becomes an economic power as well.”