Prime Minister Gilani lauds DFID assistance to Pakistan

 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that Pakistan greatly values the pivotal role being played by the Department for International Development (DFID) in forging a long-term development partnership between Pakistan and the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister was talking to Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development who called on him at the Prime Minister House on 3 July.

 

The Prime Minister said Pakistan especially welcomes the economic development assistance given to Pakistan in the form of financial support.

 

He also appreciated high quality technical assistance for increasing the incomes of the poor, improving the service delivery in education and health and enhancing capacity building of government systems.

 

Gilani apprised Douglas of the Prime Minister’s Initiative on hepatitis, a disease which is spreading at an alarming rate not only in Pakistan but all over the world. 

 

The Prime Minister said that Pakistan would greatly appreciate if the DFID included hepatitis in its Country Assistance Programme (CAP) so that an effective campaign is launched to control the disease.

 

The Prime Minister said that the top priorities of his government are providing comprehensive health care to the people, creation of jobs for the unemployed and increased focus on agriculture and agri-business.

 

He said that agriculture is the mainstay of Pakistan’s economy and the government is considering various ways to increase agricultural productivity and improve agri-business.

 

The Prime Minister said that DFID may also help Pakistan in improving the agricultural production and productivity in view of the steep increase in the prices of agricultural commodities and oil. 

 

The Prime Minister said that his government has decided to set up fully equipped Basic Health Units at the Union Council level to provide health cover to the maximum number of people especially in rural areas. 

 

Similarly the government is keen to enhance employment and income generation opportunities to reduce the poverty level in the country. 

 

He also apprised the British Minister of the government’s plan to launch Benazir Bhutto Income Support programme to provide assistance to the poorest of the poor.

 

The Prime Minister said income and employment generation schemes apart from reducing unemployment also help in weaning people away from extremism.

 

He said that his government is fully aware of the nexus between development and instability and is trying to improve the law and order situation to accelerate the process of economic development in the country.

 

The British Minister assured the Prime Minister that DFID will take full account of the Prime Minister’s agenda and priorities in formulating the Country Assistance Programme. 

 

He said that Britain is keen to have a sustainable development partnership with Pakistan and would be guided by the needs of the Pakistani people and the priorities of their government.

 

The Prime Minister also emphasized the need for early and orderly repatriation of the three million Afghan refugees who were still residing in Pakistan.  He said the international community needs to come forward to help resettle the refugees in their homeland.

 

The meeting was also attended by British High Commissioner, Robert Brinkley, Head of DFID in Pakistan Eric Hawthom, Minister for Finance Syed Naveed Qamar, Special Assistants to Prime Minister Ms.  Hina Rabbani Khar and Ms. Shehnaz Wazir Ali, Governor State Bank of Pakistan Dr Shamshad Akhtar and Secretary Finance

 

 

Courtesy: APP

3 July 2008