On Tuesday, 3 December 2024, Ambassador Dato' Azhar attended a seminar and book launch on Grand National Dialogue, organized by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) at Marriott Hotel, Islamabad. The event was presided over by former Foreign Minister and Foreign Secretary Ambassador Inam ul Haq.
The seminar included ten Dialogue partners who had been working for two years on eleven topics of national importance. The result of their collaboration was a book titled Grand National Dialogue, which captures the collective wisdom of experts from various sectors, academia, think tanks, and students from across Pakistan’s provinces. These Dialogue partners, including institutions like LUMS, ISSI, IRS, Health Services University, IIUI, PCRWR, and COMSATS University Islamabad, discussed several key issues during their working sessions.
Among the recommendations were the implementation of national counter-extremism policies, the creation of a Pakistan Revenue Board, and increasing funding for health and education to meet UN and WHO targets of 5% of GDP. The power sector reforms proposed included indigenizing the fuel-energy mix, privatizing GENCOs and DISCOs, improving transmission and distribution, and reducing the gap between power demand and supply.
LUMS researchers also provided interesting insights into power consumption, showing that shifting just 5% of power load from peak to off-peak hours could save USD348 million annually. Additionally, changing business hours in markets could save USD36 million. On the political and governance front, recommendations included proportional representation to improve political inclusivity, empowering local governments, and delivering public goods equitably through provincial NFCs.
On the economic front, the seminar recommended enhancing exports, improving tax reforms, and creating a favorable investment environment by easing bureaucratic barriers. Overall, the Grand National Dialogue offered comprehensive recommendations that could serve as a new framework for governance and economic development in Pakistan.
