ISLAMABAD (APP) - Pakistan was fully committed to achieving the SAARC Development Goals (SDGs) and 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. Chief Economist, Planning and Development Division, Dr. Rashid Amjad stated this while addressing the concluding session of the two-day workshop on SAARC Development Goals here Saturday. The two-day 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 & environment for the next five year as per requirement of the decisions of 14th and 15th SAARC Summits to develop country specific targets and benchmarks in this regard, says a statement issued by the Planning and Development Division here. The team leaders of the respective groups made presentations discussing challenges and modalities as to how to achieve benchmarks and recommended targets. 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 is 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.