KARACHI, Sept 1: British experts will come to Pakistan to study Sukkur Barrage and suggest improvements in it, to enable it to weather floods in future.

This was agreed upon on Wednesday by visiting British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and President Asif Ali Zardari during a meeting in Sukkur, said a press release issued by Bilawal House here.

President Zardari urged the British dignitary to send a team of experts to see what improvements could be made in the barrage to enable it to withstand the onslaught and minimise the adverse impact of such floods in the future, a suggestion that was promptly accepted by Mr Clegg who promised to send a team.

The president said the barrage was built by British experts in 1932 and British experts were better placed to give advice on what improvements could be made in the 80-year-old structure.

The meeting was attended by aides of Mr Clegg and Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Secretary to the President Asif Hayat among others.

According to president's spokesperson Farhatullah Babar President Zardari said that a meeting of the Pakistan Development Forum would soon be convened in Islamabad to raise international financial assistance for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of flood ravaged infrastructure and urged Britain and other countries to participate in the conference at an appropriate level.

The president said the damage caused by floods was colossal and it was beyond the capacity of Pakistan government to handle its disastrous effects on its own. He urged the deputy prime minister to sensitise the European Union and the international community about Pakistan's need for enhanced market access and also to mobilise the assistance for flood-affected people.

Mr Babar quoted the president as saying that the government had devised a transparent scheme for the judicious utilisation of the aid money.

He said the president highlighted the need to start the strategic dialogue to discuss all issues and use the forum to upgrade relations in all fields.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations and the situation in the region. President Zardari said Pakistan supported President Karzai's efforts for political reconciliation in Afghanistan and briefed the British dignitary on the outcome of the Quadrilateral summit held in Russia.

Briefing the deputy prime minister on Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts, the president reiterated Pakistan's determination to root out this menace from its soil and help the international community in building a terror free world.

President Zardari congratulated Mr Clegg on his assumption of the office of Deputy Prime Minister and thanked UK for the flood relief of 64 million pounds.

British Prime Minister who had earlier visited some flood-affected areas condoled with the president over the human and material losses due to floods. Conveying the sympathies of the people and the government of Britain, Mr Clegg said that Britain would continue to lend support to Pakistan to meet the enormous challenge it was faced with.

According to the Bilawal House media release, Mr Clegg said his country wanted to see Pakistan economically strong and stable and with this end in view would continue to push Pakistan's case for market access with the EU countries. He said Britain was keen to work on long-term partnership basis with Pakistan. After the meeting the President left for visit to flood-affected areas in Sukkur and other towns while Mr Clegg returned to Islamabad.