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Britain doubles aid to Pakistan

* International development secretary announces 480 million pounds in assistance over next three years

By Irfan Ghauri

ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom on Thursday announced it would double its assistance for Pakistan to 480 million pounds under the Country Assistance Plan during 2008-2011.

UK International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander, who released the UK’s new Country Plan outlining help for the Pakistani government over the next five years, told reporters that the increase in assistance would make Pakistan the second largest recipient of the British aid programme by 2011.

Alexander said the assistance was aimed at providing people with better access to health and education, make government systems more effective, help build a strong civil society and ensure that the poor people receive the services they needed.

“The UK assistance will continue to focus on health, including a battle against diseases such as tuberculosis and polio, and on good governance and earthquake reconstruction,” Alexander said, adding that there would now be an additional emphasis on assistance to the areas such as Balochistan and FATA.

He said his country’s assistance to Pakistan had helped save the lives of 200,000 children, prevented 800,000 children from becoming malnourished and increase the percentage of children being immunised from 53 percent to 76 percent. It also helped avoid 1,500 mothers’ death and 2.4 million TB and 450,000 malaria cases, he added.

The UK has given 53 million pounds to Pakistan in emergency relief after the 2005 earthquake and 49 million pounds for the reconstruction of 250,000 houses in the quake-affected areas.

Alexander said the UK would help enable five million children attend primary schools by 2013. He said, “500,000 young people will benefit from the technical and vocational education and the lives of 350,000 children and 30,000 pregnant women will be saved.”

The UK government will also give 50 million pounds to the State Bank of Pakistan to create new financial services for the poor. State Bank Governor Dr Shamshad Akhtar and the British secretary of state signed a memorandum of understanding in this connection.

Alexander earlier met Finance Minister Syed Naveed Qamar and discussed matters relating to fighting poverty in Pakistan and Britain’s overall Country Assistance Plan for Pakistan. Qamar’s ministry issued a statement, welcoming the UK increased aid.

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