Abbottabad Integrated
Development Vision launched
By Bakhtiar Ahmed
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Abbottabad,
May 14: The Abbottabad Integrated
Development Vision (IDV) was formally launched
in a ceremony held at Jalal Baba Auditorium
Abbottabad. The IDV has been formulated
by the District Government Abbottabad with
technical support from IUCN though a consultative
process. Local communities in all the union
councils of Abbottabad were consulted and
based on the priorities set by them, the
IDV document was prepared, which was adopted
by the District Assembly Abbottabad as the
development vision for the District.
The IDV recommends short, medium and long
term measures for sustainable development
of Abbottabad, in seventeen sectors.
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A large number
of citizens of Abbottabad including, elected
representatives, government officials, students,
representatives of CSOs, media, academia and
women attended the ceremony, representing
diverse backgrounds and affiliations, making
it a unique gathering. IUCNP staff from other
offices and number of former SPCS Support
Project staff was also present on the occasion.
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Abdul
Latif Rao, Country Representative IUCNP,
briefed the participants about the mission
of IUCN, its organizational structure, its
focus areas and its various offices throughout
the world. He also presented the working
and structure of IUCNP and its contribution
to the formulation of Abbottabad IDV.
Speaking on the occasion, District Nazim
and Naib District Nazim Abbottabad congratulated
the people of Abbottabad for taking active
part in formulation of Abbottabad IDV.
In the past, development in the district,
without taking into account the environmental
and social concerns and without setting
priorities had little
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on the lives of the people. In this regard
the formulation of IDV and its adoption by
the District Assembly as the development vision
for the district is the step in right direction,
they observed.
The District Nazim Abbottabad said main
challenge now is to implement the recommendations
of the IDV. Although the district government
will provide lead in this regard, the task
cannot be achieved without the active participation
of all the stakeholders. He also thanked
IUCN for it's all out support for the formulation
of IDV and hoped that IUCN will continue
its support for the implementation phase
also. He also thanked Swiss Agency for Development
and Cooperation (SDC) for their financial
support.
Azam Afridi, District Nazim Peshawar who
was the chief guest on the occasion, congratulated
the government and people of Abbottabad
on the launch of Abbottabad IDV and said
the local government system has immensely
benefited the common people and provided
them an opportunity to participate in the
development process at the local level and
can hold the public representatives accountable
for their actions, which renders the whole
system transparent and participatory.
He distributed shields among sixteen individuals,
representing all walks of life, in recognition
for their invaluable contribution to the
formulation process of Abbottabad IDV. Later,
he formally launched the Abbottabad IDV
by signing on a copy of the document.
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