Pakistan stresses efforts for sustainable development

Pakistani senate’s deputy chairman on Tuesday said sustainable development is a universal goal that can only be achieved through peace and cooperation by viewing the world through the prism of cooperation rather than competition.

According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Embassy in Ankara, Saleem Mandviwalla addressed the third Meeting of the Speakers of Eurasia Countries’ Parliaments (MSEAP) held in Turkey’s southern Antalya province.

Speaking about the climate change, Mandviwalla said it is a threat to the very existence of life on the planet and urged to accord environmental issues a high priority in policy formulation in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

He said world economic growth should be pursued in environmentally sustainable ways along with improving the economic performance of least developed countries.

"In order to achieve the goal of sustainable development, it is imperative to resolve long simmering global disputes like Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine," Mandviwalla was quoted as saying in the statement.

Mandviwalla also stressed the need for establishing a permanent secretariat of the forum.

The third MSEAP under the team --Economic Cooperation, Environment and Sustainable Development in Eurasia -- will continue till Thursday.