US Ambassador Anne Patterson speaking with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at Prime Minister House. ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson informed Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday that a team of American experts would visit Islamabad early next month to discuss energy projects for Pakistan.
The projects will be announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a visit to Pakistan.
During a meeting with the prime minister at the PM House, the ambassador assured him that the Kerry-Lugar bill would be passed by the US Congress in coming weeks and most of the financial assistance included in the bill would be channelled through government institutions and mechanisms, such as Benazir Income Support Programme, Higher Education Commission and basic health units.
The assurance came after Pakistan objected to US administration’s announcement that a major portion of the pledged annual grant of $1.5 billion would be channelled through NGOs and USAID and only $300 million would be provided directly to the government.
The prime minister urged the United States to provided ammunition and equipment needed by the armed forces to successfully take the campaign against militants to its logical conclusion.
According to an official handout, Mr Gilani expressed the hope that the Friends of Pakistan’s meeting in New York would provide the needed impetus for realisation of pledges of assistance made in Tokyo.
He also expressed the hope that the World Bank Trust Fund for Pakistan would be announced at the meeting to muster support of smaller donors for development projects in the country.
The prime minister reaffirmed that his government’s priority was to focus on the energy sector and asked the US and other donor countries to come forward with immediate assistance to help the government overcome the energy deficit.
The projects will be announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a visit to Pakistan.
During a meeting with the prime minister at the PM House, the ambassador assured him that the Kerry-Lugar bill would be passed by the US Congress in coming weeks and most of the financial assistance included in the bill would be channelled through government institutions and mechanisms, such as Benazir Income Support Programme, Higher Education Commission and basic health units.
The assurance came after Pakistan objected to US administration’s announcement that a major portion of the pledged annual grant of $1.5 billion would be channelled through NGOs and USAID and only $300 million would be provided directly to the government.
The prime minister urged the United States to provided ammunition and equipment needed by the armed forces to successfully take the campaign against militants to its logical conclusion.
According to an official handout, Mr Gilani expressed the hope that the Friends of Pakistan’s meeting in New York would provide the needed impetus for realisation of pledges of assistance made in Tokyo.
He also expressed the hope that the World Bank Trust Fund for Pakistan would be announced at the meeting to muster support of smaller donors for development projects in the country.
The prime minister reaffirmed that his government’s priority was to focus on the energy sector and asked the US and other donor countries to come forward with immediate assistance to help the government overcome the energy deficit.
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