01-14-2009, 11:46 PM
Pakistan likely to get massive help from Friends this month
* Govt likely to revise proposalsâ list
* Finance Ministry calls for more access to markets
By Sajid Chaudhry and Tahir Niaz
ISLAMABAD: Donor and friendly countries are expected to lend maximum financial and technical assistance to Pakistan at the Donorsâ Conference on Pakistan and a meeting of the Friends of Pakistan (FoP) forum in Washington towards the end of this month, official sources said.
Keeping the keenness of donor countries in view, the government was revising its list of projects that require international assistance, they said.
Projects: The sources said many new projects were likely to be added to a proposed list, which includes those aimed at enhancing the capacity of troops and law enforcement agencies in the war against terror.
The government had earlier tabled ventures worth $60 billion in the FoPâs last meeting in Abu Dhabi on November 17 last year, however, after the donorsâ feedback, the list was being amended, they said.
The government had directed various ministries for reviewing their proposals, and a recent high-level meeting at the Presidency evaluated the changes in the projectsâ list, especially those forwarded by the Interior Ministry, they added.
The Donorsâ Conference, which was to be held in Beijing earlier, will include participants from international financial institutions and development funds operated by various affluent nations.
The meeting of the FoP was also rescheduled for the monthâs end due to unexplained reasons, the sources said.
Access: However, they said, the Finance Ministry wanted more access to markets in the developed countries instead of financial assistance for government projects.
It said market access through free trade agreements with the United States and the European Union would benefit the country more, the sources said.
They said the names of the leaders who would represent the country in the two meetings would also be announced soon.
Following the FoPâs first meeting in Abu Dhabi, Pakistanâs Additional Foreign Secretary for South Asia Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry had termed the meeting successful. âPeople are interested in finding ways to help,â he had said, adding the gathering had âput together a frameworkâ for cooperation in the fields of development, security, energy and institution building.
But Pakistanâs Ambassador At Large Javaid Malik had said the FoP âis not a donorsâ club meeting, this is for galvanising broader support to Pakistanâ. The forumâs last meeting had deliberated upon building institutions in Pakistan, supporting the democratic government and battling extremism.
* Govt likely to revise proposalsâ list
* Finance Ministry calls for more access to markets
By Sajid Chaudhry and Tahir Niaz
ISLAMABAD: Donor and friendly countries are expected to lend maximum financial and technical assistance to Pakistan at the Donorsâ Conference on Pakistan and a meeting of the Friends of Pakistan (FoP) forum in Washington towards the end of this month, official sources said.
Keeping the keenness of donor countries in view, the government was revising its list of projects that require international assistance, they said.
Projects: The sources said many new projects were likely to be added to a proposed list, which includes those aimed at enhancing the capacity of troops and law enforcement agencies in the war against terror.
The government had earlier tabled ventures worth $60 billion in the FoPâs last meeting in Abu Dhabi on November 17 last year, however, after the donorsâ feedback, the list was being amended, they said.
The government had directed various ministries for reviewing their proposals, and a recent high-level meeting at the Presidency evaluated the changes in the projectsâ list, especially those forwarded by the Interior Ministry, they added.
The Donorsâ Conference, which was to be held in Beijing earlier, will include participants from international financial institutions and development funds operated by various affluent nations.
The meeting of the FoP was also rescheduled for the monthâs end due to unexplained reasons, the sources said.
Access: However, they said, the Finance Ministry wanted more access to markets in the developed countries instead of financial assistance for government projects.
It said market access through free trade agreements with the United States and the European Union would benefit the country more, the sources said.
They said the names of the leaders who would represent the country in the two meetings would also be announced soon.
Following the FoPâs first meeting in Abu Dhabi, Pakistanâs Additional Foreign Secretary for South Asia Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry had termed the meeting successful. âPeople are interested in finding ways to help,â he had said, adding the gathering had âput together a frameworkâ for cooperation in the fields of development, security, energy and institution building.
But Pakistanâs Ambassador At Large Javaid Malik had said the FoP âis not a donorsâ club meeting, this is for galvanising broader support to Pakistanâ. The forumâs last meeting had deliberated upon building institutions in Pakistan, supporting the democratic government and battling extremism.