ADB agrees to finance Bhasha-Diamer Dam project

[Naveed Yaseen]

ISLAMABAD (February 27 2009): Asian Development Bank (ADB) delegation headed by its vice President Xiaoyu Zhao, called on Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani at the Prime Minister's house on Thursday and agreed in principle to finance Bhasha-Diamer Dam project. During the meeting, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan greatly values its partnership with development institutions particularly the ADB, which is a trusted partner and wants to have even better relations in future.

Appreciating the active support of ADB to Pakistan in the past, the Prime Minister expressed the hope that this co-operation would continue for helping the country to overcome the shortage of energy, water and food through construction of new dams and other related projects. He said that construction of farm to market road network, development of urban and rural areas, provision of equitable economic opportunities as well as improving the social sector particularly the health and education facilities are the foremost agenda before the government.

The Prime Minister said that the government is fully committed towards reducing poverty, increasing per capita income, generating more jobs and improving the living standard of the people. While assuring ADB's support to the democratic government, Xiaoyu Zhao informed the Prime Minister on the development activities undertaken by the bank in various sectors of the economy. He also commended the measures undertaken by the Pakistan's government for the improvement of economy. Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar was also present in the meeting.-PR

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