Pakistan needs trade, not aid, Zardari tells UK

President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday emphasised that Pakistan was looking forward to access to the European Union for its products, saying the country wanted trade, not aid. Zardari said this during a meeting with British Minister for International Development Alan Duncan. Both leaders discussed Pak-UK bilateral relations, strategic dialogue, regional situation, rehabilitation of flood affected people, meeting of Pakistan Development Forum and other related issues. Duncan was accompanied by British High Commissioner to Pakistan Sir Adam Thomson. Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was also present in the meeting. Briefing reporters, president’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Zardari emphasised that ‘trade not aid’ was the solution to Pakistan’s economic problems and was necessary to fight militancy and extremism for stability in the region.
The president appreciated UK’s development assistance of over £665 million committed for 2009-2013 as development assistance in the social sector. Zardari said the UK and Pakistan needed to strengthen their partnership in the realms of education, science and technology and cultural fields working closely for more trade and investment in Pakistan. He focused on the need to enhance and strengthen Pakistan’s counter terrorism capacity through provision of equipment, training facilities and sharing of timely intelligence. The president, while commenting on progress of Pakistan Education Task Force, said both countries needed to enhance cooperation since the education sector needed special attention as a long-term measure to neutralise militant mindset. Discussing regional issues, the president said Pakistan had always called upon the international community to find a permanent solution to sources of funding for terrorists and to address the issue of illegal drug production and trafficking, which was a major threat to international peace and stability.
He said a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan was in the interest of Pakistan and it had always supported every global effort in this regard. The british minister appreciated the efforts of the Pakistani government and its security forces against militancy and reiterated British support to the democratic government in Pakistan. He said Britain would continue to support Pakistan in every possible way to overcome difficulties faced by the country in various areas. Duncan said his government would extend all possible support for employment generation and poverty eradication in the war and flood stricken areas of Pakistan.