ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday said that Pakistan has great potential to achieve a much higher economic growth dramatically on a sustained basis.For this purpose innovative ideas are needed and international assistance in areas of trans-regional connectivity and infrastructure development which will open up Pakistan to Central Asia, China and countries in the region, on one hand, and with Turkey and the Middle Eastern region, on the other.These remarks were made by the President in his meeting with Dr Noeleen Hevzer Executive Secretary United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), who called on him here in Aiwan-e-Sadar.
Executive Secretary UN ESCAP Dr. Noeleen Heyzer was accompanied by Timo Pakkala, Resident Coordinator UN to Pakistan, Adnan H. Aliani, Chief Sustainable Urban Development Unit ESCAP, Xuan Zongpei, Director ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division UN-ESCAP.From Pakistan side those who attended the meeting included Salman Faruqui, Secretary General to the President, Begum Shehnaz Wazir Ali, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, federal secretaries of the relevant ministries and other senior officials.President said that geo-strategic location of Pakistan offers great opportunities for enhanced regional economic cooperation, regional connectivity through transport, energy and telecommunications.
He also appreciated the support of ESCAP for its sustained help in growth and poverty reduction in the country and underlined the need that ESCAP will be assisting the government in its development priorities including social sector.President Asif Ali Zardari also thanked the Executive Secretary for ESCAP generous support in rescue and rehabilitation of flood affected people.Dr Noeleen Hevzer Executive Secretary UN ESCAP thanked the President for the meeting and apprised him about various activities of the organization in Pakistan particularly in the fields of regional connectivity, development and environmental protection.She said that ESCAP’s activities are mainly focused on heping the less developed countries acquire a growth momentum of more vibrant and dynamic countries of the region – App