Queen Maxima meets president Arif Alvi, PM Imran Khan

Ag APP

ISLAMABAD: Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, the UN Secretary General’s Special Advocate (UNSGSA) for Inclusive Finance for Development, called on President Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan here separately on Tuesday.

During the meeting, President Dr Arif Alvi said that Pakistan considered financial inclusion as an effective tool to achieve progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), eradicate poverty, and realising inclusive economic growth. The president was talking to Queen Maxima of the Netherlands here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

Welcoming the Queen, the president expressed appreciation for UNSGSA’s commitment to the promotion of Financial Inclusion for Development. The president stated that Pakistan had achieved a significant progress on financial inclusion since UNSGSA’s last visit in 2016 and this visit would also have positive implications on the ongoing initiatives in the country.

The president apprised Queen Maxima on the steps Pakistan would take under the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) till 2023 for further promoting financial inclusion in the country with emphasis on women financial inclusion.

The UNSGSA briefed the president on her engagements in Islamabad and expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s efforts including the prioritisation of access to financial services for women and promoting inclusive Fintech, the use of technology in financial services.

Meanwhile, Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands called on Prime Minister Imran Khan here at the Prime Minister Office Tuesday.

The prime minister appreciated Her Majesty’s commitment to the promotion of Financial Inclusion for Development. He said that her visit to Pakistan would provide added impetus to the ongoing efforts by the government for promotion of financial inclusion in Pakistan.

The premier also apprised Queen Maxima of various welfare initiatives taken by the government including the flagship ‘Ehsaas Programme’. These initiatives, he added, were aimed at promoting financial inclusion especially for women and young people, with the ultimate goal of poverty alleviation, inclusive economic development and women empowerment.

The UNSGSA appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for promoting financial inclusion in the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan and reiterated support for Pakistan’s quest for poverty alleviation and inclusive economic development.

While appreciating Prime Minister Imran Khan’s efforts of prioritising access of women to finance and digitising government payments and procedures, the Queen stressed the need for promotion of Fintech – the use of technology in financial services – while safeguarding privacy and ensuring security and efficiency.