PCJCCI Keen To Learn From China’s Model Of Poverty Reduction

Pakistan-China Joint Chambers of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) President Moazzam Ghurki said on Wednesday that China’s poverty reduction experience in rural areas was a great example and Pakistan and PCJCCI were keen to learn from that model

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Jan, 2024) Pakistan-China Joint Chambers of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) President Moazzam Ghurki said on Wednesday that China’s poverty reduction experience in rural areas was a great example and Pakistan and PCJCCI were keen to learn from that model.

Speaking in a think-tank session held here at the PCJCCI Secretariat, he appreciated China’s amazing work on poverty reduction and setting precedent for the rest of the world. President PCJCCI added China is very advanced country and it is reaching the next phase of digitalization, whereas in Pakistan "we are still struggling to help people open their basic accounts". However, now Pakistan is actually progressing. There are different banks and micro finance banks working since 2005.

PCJCCI Senior Vice President Fang Yulong shared that financial literacy plays an important role in poverty reduction, so visits to rural areas for younger generation in Pakistan should be initiated just like Chinese, and conduct some training for men and women so that they could know what financial literacy was, what financial products they have and how they can have access to finances.

He added that finance is basically the blood that runs in economy, if someone needs to open a small scale business, you need finances; if someone wants to have education to improve, to ensure the upward mobility and the social status, they need finances to support their education.

Hamza Khalid, Vice President PCJCCI, added that these days, rural tourism is drawing more attention. "We eat food every day, but people don’t understand how food comes to their plate or how food comes in their package, especially children. It’s very important for children to visit a place where they can learn how the seeds are sown, see them in the ground using your own hands and then the plants grow, and then you can dig the carrots fresh out of the land. It’s a really important learning experience for the young generation to have."

Salahuddin Hanif, Secretary General PCJCCI, said that Pakistani government has launched a vast programme named “Raast” that will actually transform the whole system, and Pakistanis are able to make payments and transfers digitally.