POVERTY: Terrorism and Poverty are linked

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that the battle of fighting extremism and terrorism cannot be won comprehensively without forming global alliances and partnerships for the eradication of poverty.
“The observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17 draws our attention to the phenomenon of poverty with its lasting impact on the poor and highlights their problems and predicaments,” the PM said in a message on the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
He said that the day calls for concerted efforts to take urgent steps for the eradication of poverty by focusing on the pro-poor initiatives. It raises awareness about the plight of the poor and fosters discussions on employment of anti-poverty strategies, he said.
Gilani said that in the absence of an equitable economic order, the scourges of terrorism and extremism find conducive environment to thrive.
He said that there is a need to acknowledge the role of poverty in spawning these negative forces and formulating fresh strategies to counter them in a proactive fashion.
Poverty remains a major hindrance in the realisation of potential of the nations and societies, the PM said and added that the goal of sustainable national development cannot be achieved without improving the lot of the poor and converting them into productive members of society.
A society, which is free from hunger, poverty and deprivations, can get to the climax of material progress and also realise its moral aims, he said. He said that it is heartening to note that the international community has woken up to the reality of meeting the poverty challenge by pooling its resources together.
He said the government regards poverty as a daunting challenge and is committed to the implementation of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially the one dealing with the eradication of poverty.
The government has undertaken a holistic reform agenda in the economic sector aimed at boosting growth, cutting down unemployment, mobilising indigenous resources and fetching investment, he said.
“Our long-term panacea to stem the trend of economic downfall lies in widening the tax base, reducing fiscal deficit, documenting economy and plugging key areas of tax evasion through data-matching and risk profiling,” the prime minister said.
The cycle of poverty can only be broken through domestic resource generation and macroeconomic stability, he said and added that for this to be possible, the government has introduced critical reforms characterised by a planned increase of tax to GDP ratio up to 13% in the medium term, cutting down on non-development expenditure, and putting in place more equitable tax structure.
Gilani said that Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is the government’s major anti-poverty initiative, which has won accolades from the World Bank and other international financial institutions for transparency of its operations and extent of outreach.
With an allocation of Rs 50 billion in the fiscal year 2010-11, BISP seeks to empower the downtrodden sections of society especially women, he said.

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