Quetta:The Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) of Balochistan Assembly here on Tuesday held a high-level consultative dialogue with the leadership of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to address chronic child stunting, maternal malnutrition, and food insecurity in the province.
Chairing the session, Deputy Speaker and WPC Patron Ghazala Gola described these challenges as severe crises that demand urgent, coordinated intervention rather than routine bureaucratic responses. She emphasized that the Caucus was standing as a unified, bipartisan political voice committed to translating policy into uninterrupted service delivery for vulnerable women and children across Balochistan.
The meeting was attended by Anita Hirsch (Country Director, WFP Pakistan), Dr. Faaria Ahsan (Head of WFP Balochistan Office), MNAs Akhtar Bibi and Pullain Baloch, MPAs Shahida Rauf, Salma Kakar, and Safia Fazal-ur-Rehman, along with Assembly Secretary Tahir Shah Kakar, Shahana Tabassum (MHM Working Group Secretariat), and Muhammad Aslam (Local Government).
Expanding on the Caucus’s commitment, Gola affirmed that WPC was prepared to translate dialogue into practical measures, ensuring healthcare and Nashonuma centers remain functional across all districts through parliamentary oversight and protected budgetary allocations.
Addressing participants, Anita Hirsch stressed that WFP programmes were designed to support pregnant women and young children, highlighting the importance of universal coverage so every child can reach their full potential. She noted that school meal initiatives had been rolled out using locally available resources, underscoring the role of parliamentarians in sustaining these efforts.
Dr. Faaria Ahsan briefed the meeting on the Benazir Nashonuma Programme, the largest nutrition initiative in Balochistan, pointing to alarmingly high stunting rates and calling for sustained investment in children to safeguard future generations.
Highlighting the legislative dimension, MNA Akhtar Bibi and MPA Shahida Rauf emphasized that collaboration between elected representatives and international partners was essential to transform technical frameworks into tangible relief for marginalized communities. Assembly Secretary Tahir Shah Kakar pledged firm parliamentary support, committing to advance legislation and statutory protections for nutrition and maternal-child welfare.
The dialogue concluded with a shared resolve to maintain regular institutional collaboration, pursue legislative and budgetary safeguards, and jointly secure the nutritional well-being of mothers and children across Balochistan.