ISLAMABAD (APP) - Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the battle of fighting extremism and terrorism cannot be won comprehensively without forming global alliances and partnerships for the eradication of poverty. The observance of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17 draws our attention to the phenomenon of poverty with its lasting impact on the poor and highlights their problems and predicaments, the Prime Minister said in a message on the occasion of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. He said that the day calls for concerted efforts to take urgent steps for the eradication of poverty by focusing on the pro-poor initiatives. It raises awareness about the plight of the poor and fosters discussions on employment of anti-poverty strategies, he said. The Prime Minister said that in the absence of an equitable economic order, the scourges of terrorism and extremism find conducive environment to thrive. He said that there is a need to acknowledge the role of poverty in spawning these negative forces and formulating fresh strategies to counter them in a proactive fashion. Poverty remains a major hindrance in the realisation of potential of the nations and societies, the Prime Minister said and added that the goal of sustainable national development cannot be achieved without improving the lot of the poor and converting them into productive members of society. A society, which is free from hunger, poverty and deprivations, can get to the climax of material progress and also realise its moral aims, the Prime Minister said. He said that it is heartening to note that the international community has woken up to the reality of meeting the poverty challenge by pooling its resources together. The outcome document of the recently concluded three-day UNs Summit- Keeping the Promise: United to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals reaffirms the international communitys resolve to implement the MDGs by 2015, the Prime Minister added. He said the government regards poverty as a daunting challenge and is committed to the implementation of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) especially the one dealing with eradication of poverty. The government has undertaken a holistic reform agenda in the economic sector aimed at boosting growth, cutting down unemployment, mobilising indigenous resources and fetching investment, he said. Our long-term panacea to stem the trend of economic downfall lies in widening the tax base, reducing fiscal deficit, documenting economy and plugging key areas of tax evasion through data-matching and risk profiling, the Prime Minister said. The cycle of poverty can only be broken through domestic resource generation and macroeconomic stability, he said and added that for this to be possible, the government has introduced critical reforms characterised by planned increase of tax to GDP ratio up to 13 per cent in the medium term, cutting down on non-development expenditure, and putting in place more equitable tax structure. He said that overcoming raging energy deficits that slowed down the pace of national growth through short-medium- and long-term power vision and restructuring of the Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs) are the major pillars of the governments economic plan to foster growth and reduce poverty. Prime Minister Gilani said that Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is the governments major anti-poverty initiative, which has won accolades from the World Bank and other international financial institutions for transparency of its operations and extent of outreach. With an allocation of Rs 50 billion in fiscal year 2010-11, BISP seeks to empower the downtrodden sections of society especially women, he said and added that it is the countrys largest social safety net, which has gone beyond immediate cash transfer to the poorest of the poor to enabling them to stand on their feet through Waseela-e-Haq, Waseela-e-Sehat and Waseela-e-Rozgar initiatives. The Prime Minister said that on this day, the government reiterates its resolve to devote its resources to the welfare and well-being of the poorest of the poor. It is our national duty to work harmoniously for making Pakistan a welfare state as envisioned by our founding fathers, he added.