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Pakistan may get close to $4bn aid in Donors’ Conference

By Sajjad Malik

ISLAMABAD: The upcoming Tokyo Donors’ Conference might pledge $4 billion to Pakistan over the next two years, Japan’s Special Representative for Assistance to Pakistan and Afghanistan Motohide Yoshikawa said on Monday.

Talking to reporters at the Japanese embassy, he said Tokyo had been advocating for assistance to Pakistan and had raised the issue at the G-20 group meeting. He said Pakistan’s stability and prosperity was in the interest of the world.

The special representative said that the international community would demand broad political support in the fight against terrorism and a plan of action for economic reforms and eradication of poverty.

He said more than 30 countries and organisations would participate in the conference.

Yoshikawa said a bilateral meeting would be held during President Asif Zardari’s visit to Japan and during the meeting the Japanese prime minister would announce assistance to Pakistan in the shape of a soft loan.

Earlier, Yoshikawa called on President Zardari and discussed the upcoming meeting of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan forum due in Tokyo on April 17, as well as the regional situation, bilateral ties and mutual cooperation.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Interior Adviser Rehman Malik and Secretary General to President Salman Farooqui attended the meeting.

Japan’s Ambassador to Pakistan Chichiro Atsumi was also present.

Zardari said he hoped the international community would support Pakistan in the upcoming Friends of Pakistan meeting.

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