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Three-year programme: Denmark pours more money into Pak uplift
By Our Correspondent
Published: November 7, 2013
ISLAMABAD:
Despite the planned drawdown of the US forces in Afghanistan, peace in the restive country will hinge on policy of non interference by major world and regional powers, said Tariq Fatemi, the government’s top aide on foreign affairs.
“The 2015 can be the year when Afghanistan will at last see peace after a long turbulence which started in 1979 – provided that all regional and major world powers remain committed to the policy of non interference,” said Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to Prime Minister. He was speaking at the launching ceremony of a three-year development programme, financed by Denmark.
Fatemi said the announced drawdown of the US forces by end of next year would be a critical stage for the regional players. “Pakistan is committed to the policy of non interference,” he added.
Fatemi’s statement highlights the official stance of the country, as it has been complaining that world powers including India are using Afghanistan territory to launch and support sabotage activities in Pakistan.
Reiterating Pakistan’s foreign policy on Afghanistan, Fatemi said Islamabad would play a helping role in the peace process. “But the process has to be Afghan-led,” he underscored.
He said the government had shifted towards establishing closer and cordial relations with its neighbours both along its eastern and western borders. “There cannot be peace in the region unless the country establishes cordial and cooperative relations with India,” he added.
Of Denmark’s development cooperation, Fatemi said Danish assistance of $50 million was virtually without strings. He said there was an inherent link between economic growth and tackling the problem of extremism in Pakistan. “Unless jobs are provided to millions of people, extremism will remain a major scourge in the country,” he added.
Denmark has decided to almost double its assistance from $28 million to $50 million for next three years. The $50 million grant will be given for strengthening democracy, regional stability, improving human rights and ensuring gender equality in Pakistan.
Out of that, $15 million have been earmarked for peace building efforts, livelihoods and education in Khyber-Pakthunkhwa, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Balochistan.
Another $11 million will be given through the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) for early recovery of educational services in the border areas. A sum of $24 million is allocated for efforts in the areas of democratisation, human rights and gender equality.
“The development assistance to Pakistan is not a charity but much more than that,” said the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation, Christian Friis Bach, who is on a two-day visit to Pakistan.
He said Denmark was a signatory to many international conventions on human rights and gender equality and felt the obligation that those who did not have these rights should be facilitated. Bach said security and development in Pakistan had to go hand in hand and the people of Pakistan should stand up for their own rights.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2013.
By Our Correspondent
Published: November 7, 2013
ISLAMABAD:
Despite the planned drawdown of the US forces in Afghanistan, peace in the restive country will hinge on policy of non interference by major world and regional powers, said Tariq Fatemi, the government’s top aide on foreign affairs.
“The 2015 can be the year when Afghanistan will at last see peace after a long turbulence which started in 1979 – provided that all regional and major world powers remain committed to the policy of non interference,” said Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to Prime Minister. He was speaking at the launching ceremony of a three-year development programme, financed by Denmark.
Fatemi said the announced drawdown of the US forces by end of next year would be a critical stage for the regional players. “Pakistan is committed to the policy of non interference,” he added.
Fatemi’s statement highlights the official stance of the country, as it has been complaining that world powers including India are using Afghanistan territory to launch and support sabotage activities in Pakistan.
Reiterating Pakistan’s foreign policy on Afghanistan, Fatemi said Islamabad would play a helping role in the peace process. “But the process has to be Afghan-led,” he underscored.
He said the government had shifted towards establishing closer and cordial relations with its neighbours both along its eastern and western borders. “There cannot be peace in the region unless the country establishes cordial and cooperative relations with India,” he added.
Of Denmark’s development cooperation, Fatemi said Danish assistance of $50 million was virtually without strings. He said there was an inherent link between economic growth and tackling the problem of extremism in Pakistan. “Unless jobs are provided to millions of people, extremism will remain a major scourge in the country,” he added.
Denmark has decided to almost double its assistance from $28 million to $50 million for next three years. The $50 million grant will be given for strengthening democracy, regional stability, improving human rights and ensuring gender equality in Pakistan.
Out of that, $15 million have been earmarked for peace building efforts, livelihoods and education in Khyber-Pakthunkhwa, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Balochistan.
Another $11 million will be given through the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) for early recovery of educational services in the border areas. A sum of $24 million is allocated for efforts in the areas of democratisation, human rights and gender equality.
“The development assistance to Pakistan is not a charity but much more than that,” said the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation, Christian Friis Bach, who is on a two-day visit to Pakistan.
He said Denmark was a signatory to many international conventions on human rights and gender equality and felt the obligation that those who did not have these rights should be facilitated. Bach said security and development in Pakistan had to go hand in hand and the people of Pakistan should stand up for their own rights.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2013.
