OneWorld.net (U.S.)

Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) has started a campaign to put pressure on the government to cater the real problems of the masses. In this regard, millions of people across all walks of life and from every corner of Pakistan have signed on the world’s longest banner – all of 4 km – to register their demands for the actualization of MDGs.

The banner was displayed during a press conference organized by Insan Foundation Pakistan (IFP) on July 7, 2007, demanding the accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals.

Another 6 km long banner has been announced – to be prepared and signed by millions of masses portraying their demands. This banner will be displayed on October 17, 2007, at Islamabad on ‘World Poverty Day’.

The participants at the conference emphasized on the need to actualize promises made by the government with the international organizations to accomplish the MDGs by the year 2015, among which poverty eradication heads the priority list.

The participants criticized the poor policies of the government regarding poverty eradication. Inflation has led to increase in prices while on the other side salaries have observed meagre increase of only 15 percent.

They also criticized the increase in budget allocation for defence and non-developmental projects instead of focusing on the welfare of the poor masses who are surviving under the extreme conditions of peaking price hike.

Participants demanded that political parties should define their agenda in upcoming elections for the accomplishment of MDGs. Political parties should define their priorities and mechanisms in their election campaigns centred around the eradication of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and injustice by decreasing the non-developmental expenses and military budgets. The latter are but a burden on the suppressed humanity of this region and should be taken into account to make Pakistan a welfare state.

The following demands were put forth at the press conference: 1. Issue of poverty eradication should be dealt on top priority basis. 2. Government should ensure the provision of the modern technical education without discrimination to all in order to decrease unemployment. 3. Government should promote pollution free industries at local and national levels. 4. Government should insure the constitutional rights of the masses of respectful employment. 5. Real steps should be taken to control price hike, keeping in view the capacity of the poor masses. 6. Government should promote agricultural industry to ensure the provision of jobs to the masses. 7. Government should ensure safe and conducive working environment for women by guaranteeing their social, economic and political rights. 8. There should be immediate resolution of the problems of the landless farmers. 9. Child labour and bonded labour should be banned. 10. Foreign loans taken in the name of the development of the masses should not be received without consent and permission of concerned masses to ensure accountability and transparency in allocation and expenditure.

I.A. Rehman, Director Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Abid Hassan Minto, President National Workers Party, Farah Malik, Program Manager of Insan Foundation, Mahar Safdar Ali, MDGs Campaign Coordinator and Ghaffar Malik, provincial coordinator from Sindh spoke on the occasion.

For more information, contact: MDGs Campaign Coordinator Pakistan Mahar Safdar Ali Insan Foundation Pakistan 4. B.3 Johar Town, Lahore Email