By KUNA,
TOKYO : About 30 countries are expected to pledge a total of USD four billion in aid for Pakistan at an international donors conference on April 17 in Tokyo, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported Wednesday.
Representatives from about 30 countries, including members of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Group Ministerial Meeting such as the US and Britain, as well as international organizations that have been providing economic assistance to Pakistan will attend the Pakistan Donors Conference. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and the US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke are also expected to attend the one-day ministerial meeting, co-hosted by Japan and the World Bank.
According to NHK, the participating countries have already agreed on the need to provide financial aid to Pakistan to improve social infrastructure and develop farming villages. The agreement came after Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone called for generous financial support for Pakistan an international conference on Afghanistan on March 31 in the Netherlands, it said.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry has said earlier that the stability of Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan and works to counter terrorism, is directly linked to the peace and stability of the international community.
Japan announced on Tuesday that it will provide grant aid totaling USD five million for internally displaced Pakistanis through UN agencies and the Red Cross.(end) mk.aj KUNA 081025 Apr 09NNNN