Dec 6, 2021 – Islamabad: President Dr. Arif Alvi was the chief guest at the twenty fourth Sustainable Development Conference hosted by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). The overarching theme of the conference was ‘Beyond the Pandemic: Leaving No One Behind’. Addressing the conference, President said, “Digitalization of the economy is essential to empower women and bring other deprived segments into the mainstream.” Speaking on the occasion, Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM said that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world that health was a national security issue and shifted people towards digitalization. She further added that the government had been prioritizing digitalization even before the pandemic had surfaced as it had launched 20 programs under Ehsaas. “Pakistan is the first country that is paying higher stipend to girls for their enrolment in schools,” she said. SDPI Executive Director Abid Qaiyum Suleri appreciated the timely steps taken by the government to contain the pandemic and commodities prices which saved people from food scarcity. The Sustainable Development Conference was a reflection on the two years since the COVID-19 pandemic.
