PM Shehbaz Sharif hails world for supporting flood victims, vows transparency

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday said that the world showed trust in Pakistan and announced pledges worth $9.7 billion, to help Islamabad in rehabilitating flood victims and infrastructure, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference flanked by federal cabinet members, in Islamabad, after his return from Geneva, PM Shehbaz Sharif said the Geneva Moot remained “extremely successful”

“At the conference, pledges worth $9.7 billion were announced for the Pakistan flood victims,” the PM said, congratulating his federal ministers for the hard work they and their teams put in before this critical conference.

“Islamic Development Bank promised $4.2 billion, World Bank $2 billion, Saudi Arab $1 billion, Asian Infrastructure Development Bank $1 billion, Asian Development Bank $500 million, USAID $100 million, China $100 dollars, Italy €23 million, Japan $77 million, Qatar $25 million, UK £36 million, and France $10 million,” the prime minister said.

Read more: Geneva conference: PM Shehbaz vows transparency in aid spending

PM Shehbaz Sharif said political opponents did ‘propaganda’ on the issue and if the UN had doubts about the Pakistan government $9.7 billion would have not been pledged.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said the presence of the representatives of all the provinces at the conference sent the message to the world that “we are united”.

He thanked international donors for extending a helping hand to Pakistan and also lauded the efforts of Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, Hina Rabbani Khar, Shery Rehman and others.

The premier also vowed to ensure transparency in the spending of the funds collected for the flood victims in the Geneva Moot.