ADB Country Director calls on President Zardari

ISLAMABAD: Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Yong Ye on Thursday called on President Asif Ali Zardari to brief him about the role of the bank in the socio-economic development of Pakistan, ARY News reported.

In the meeting, President Zardari appreciated the assistance provided by the Asian Development Bank to Pakistan during the floods. He also highlighted Pakistan’s measures to deal with climate change, saying that Pakistan had planted mangrove forests on millions of acres of land.

President Zardari also appreciated the Asian Development Bank’s services to Pakistan in the fields of agriculture, irrigation, and education.

Separately, the outgoing Ambassador of Greece to Pakistan Konstantinos Moatsos paid a farewell call on President Zardari.

President Zardari emphasised the need to further strengthen bilateral relations between Pakistan and Greece. The president also expressed his best wishes for the outgoing Ambassador of Greece Konstantinos Moatsos.

Earlier, President Zardari has urged the federal government to provide relief to the masses in electricity bills.

President Asif Zardari urged the federal government to give the nation good news by reducing electricity bills on Independence Day.

He stated that the current electricity bills are beyond the public’s capacity to bear. “The burden of electricity bills on the people cannot be increased any further,” the president emphasized.

He urged that immediate relief be provided to the public by lowering electricity bills and directed both federal and provincial governments to formulate a plan for this relief.

“We need a strategy that results in a reduction in electricity tariffs,” President Zardari stated, adding that immediate support in the form of relief would offer much-needed respite to the people.