Gilani seeks ‘democracy dividend’ from IMF
DAVOS, Jan 31: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday called for an early IMF review meeting, saying the country had met all the benchmarks set by the Fund under the stabilisation programme.
Talking to IMF’s First Deputy Managing Director John Lipsky on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, the prime minister asked the IMF to consider ‘democracy dividend’ while formulating future policies for Pakistan.
The IMF official expressed satisfaction over the fact that Pakistan had met the benchmarks set by the Fund to help stabilise the economy.
ICRC PRAISED: At a meeting with ICRC president Jakob Kellinberger, Mr Gilani appreciated operations of the International Committee of Red Cross in Pakistan in the wake of natural disasters and proposed that cooperation between the ICRC and Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority should be enhanced.
The prime minister said that with greater collaboration the two organisations could do a better job for the people in crisis.
He apprised the ICRC chief of his assessment about the situation in Afghanistan and said Pakistan was playing due role in counter-terrorism efforts in the region.
Mr Kellinberger briefed the prime minister about his organisation’s plans to expand its services, particularly for the injured in the troubled areas of the NWFP.
He said the ICRC wished to set up a hospital in Peshawar to treat the injured from Fata and other areas of the province.
The prime minister said he would discuss the proposal with the NWFP government.
He welcomed the ICRC proposal to introduce video conference to facilitate contacts between displaced families with their relatives in the troubled areas and promised its approval in consultations with departments concerned.
Mr Gilani left on Saturday for home at the end of his four-day visit after representing Pakistan at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The participation at the highest level was aimed at seeking greater investment for the country and for highlighting its stance on important issues, including the war on terror, the Mumbai attacks and the need for the world to assist the country in combating the challenges.
The prime minister addressed a special session — “Pakistan and its neighbours” and said the US drone attacks on its soil were hampering government’s efforts in countering militancy.—APP