ISLAMABAD: Rana Sanaullah Khan said the financial pledges made at the United Nations climate conference in Geneva will provide a significant boost to Pakistan’s economy and serve as a rebuke to those who have falsely claimed the country is facing default.
On Monday, international donors announced their commitment to provide Pakistan with over $10 billion in aid to assist with recovery efforts following last year’s devastating floods. The conference, co-hosted by Pakistan and the United Nations, brought together representatives from approximately 40 countries, as well as private donors and international financial institutions.
During the conference, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan will require an additional $16.3 billion over the next three years to begin rebuilding and enhancing its ability to withstand the effects of climate change.
He emphasised that while the country will work to cover half of this cost, it is imperative that the international community provide support for the remaining expenses.
In a statement to the press on Tuesday, the interior minister celebrated the “major achievement” on behalf of the nation in his statement to journalists outside the Punjab Assembly.
Khan announced the international donations made at the recent climate conference in Geneva serve as evidence of the trust and support the world has for Pakistan and its coalition government. He also stated that the donations are a refutation of the negative propaganda that has been spread in recent months.
The minister said the government had initially aimed to collect $8 billion, but was able to secure pledges exceeding $10 billion, with the possibility of even more donations to come. Khan emphasized that these funds are not loans, but rather grants that will aid in pulling the country out of the crisis caused by the previous government and opposition.
He also said this will bring an end to the drama of the popularity of the opposition leader Imran Khan.
Additionally, the minister has alleged there is some suspicious activity going on in the Punjab assembly where he was stopped from entering the assembly by the speaker and chief minister on what he called an “unconstitutional” and “illegal” move which he claims Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, the chief minister of Punjab, is trying to use to run away from a vote of confidence.
