ISLAMABAD (APP)- The Chief Economist, Planning and Development Division, Dr Rashid Amjad said that Pakistan was fully committed to achieving the SAARC Development Goals (SDGs). "Even in these difficult financial circumstances, the Prime Minister had given clear instruction that public sector expenditures in the social sectors especially health and education will be fully protected," he said while addressing at a workshop here. Two days Consultative Workshop on SAARC Development Goals (SDGs) and Livelihood Opportunities for Eradicating of Hunger and Poverty and Launching of SAARC Regional Poverty Profile was attended by Government, development partners, NGOs and academia. The participants of the workshop, after intensive consultations identified benchmarks along with targets for SDGs indicators i.e. livelihood, health, education and environment for the next five years as per requirement of the decisions of 14th & 15th SAARC Summits to develop country specific targets and benchmarks in this regard. The SDGs targets for 2012 have been aligned with the MDGs and have been incorporated in the manifesto of the present government, as the present government was determined to reduce suffering of millions of people living in absolute poverty in Pakistan. The Government has taken bold initiatives to restore macroeconomic stability and reduce poverty and vulnerability through direct and indirect support. Allocations for social sector including education, health, population welfare, water supply and sanitation have increased manifold to create and develop social assets of the poor.