Islamabad pleas for U.S. financial aid
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Islamabad needs urgent financial assistance to overcome losses incurred from more than eight years of fighting terrorism, the Pakistani president said.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari met with a visiting U.S. delegation to discuss regional developments as international forces push ahead with their new war strategy for Afghanistan.
Washington coupled Pakistani stability with its revised war plan for Afghanistan. Pakistan, for its part, launched a unilateral military campaign in October to take on militants in the tribal provinces along the Afghan border.
Zardari said his country lost more than $35 billion since it embarked on a counter-terrorism campaign in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, Pakistani newspaper The News International reports Friday.
He said Washington should disburse more than $1.5 billion in aid to his country and open U.S. and European markets to Pakistani goods to stimulate economic recovery.
The October bill focuses on economic and educational development for Pakistan but authorizes U.S. military assistance to help Pakistan with counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism measures.
Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Islamabad welcomed U.S. support in its effort to bring stability to the region, but stressed more could be done.
"We now look forward to our partners in this war to assist us in overcoming our difficulties so that the goal of democratically elected government to meet the expectations of the people of Pakistan could be achieved," he said.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Islamabad needs urgent financial assistance to overcome losses incurred from more than eight years of fighting terrorism, the Pakistani president said.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari met with a visiting U.S. delegation to discuss regional developments as international forces push ahead with their new war strategy for Afghanistan.
Washington coupled Pakistani stability with its revised war plan for Afghanistan. Pakistan, for its part, launched a unilateral military campaign in October to take on militants in the tribal provinces along the Afghan border.
Zardari said his country lost more than $35 billion since it embarked on a counter-terrorism campaign in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, Pakistani newspaper The News International reports Friday.
He said Washington should disburse more than $1.5 billion in aid to his country and open U.S. and European markets to Pakistani goods to stimulate economic recovery.
The October bill focuses on economic and educational development for Pakistan but authorizes U.S. military assistance to help Pakistan with counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism measures.
Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Islamabad welcomed U.S. support in its effort to bring stability to the region, but stressed more could be done.
"We now look forward to our partners in this war to assist us in overcoming our difficulties so that the goal of democratically elected government to meet the expectations of the people of Pakistan could be achieved," he said.
