May 31, 2002	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 18,1423

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ISLAMABAD, May 30: The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) will provide $250 million assistance to Pakistan in the next three years for various social projects, particularly education, health and poverty alleviation.

IDB Vice-President Amadou Boubacar told APP after a memorandum of understanding was signed between the authorities of the bank and the Pakistan government here on Thursday.

He said finance support would also be extended to the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) set up by President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Replying to a question, Mr Boubacar said the bank would also provide assistance to various ongoing projects, including Ghazi Barotha project and Rawalpindi Medical College.

He observed that the economy of Pakistan had survived the impacts of the Sept 11 terrorist attacks and the persistent drought conditions in various parts of the country.

Earlier, a three-member delegation of the bank called on Dr Nasim Ashraf, minister of state and chairman of the NCHD.

The minister briefed the delegation, headed by Mr Boubacar, on the NCHD and its goals.—APP

Centres of excellence: Following a pledge by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to fund 12 centres of excellence in the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Conference, Pakistan has decided to seek nominations from these states, writes our staff reporter.

Dr Attaur Rehman, Minister for Science and Technology, will be writing to his counterparts in the OIC member states to nominate the centres in their respective countries.

The OIC project is likely to cost three million dollars and initially the centres will be set up in the fields of biotechnology, information technology, pharmaceuticals, material sciences, engineering sciences and agriculture.

An initiative in this regard was taken by Dr Attaur Rehman who is also the coordinator general of the Comstech.

He discussed the project with the visiting IDB delegation, led by Mr Amadou Boubacar Casse, the Vice President of the bank, here on Monday. The delegation agreed to provide funds for the project.

During the meeting with the delegation, the minister said that the project was being launched to enhance the capabilities of the OIC member states through mutual collaboration to provide training to scientists and reduce dependence on training in the western countries.

The Comstech, in collaboration with the IDB, will identify experts to constitute a panel of experts to evaluate these centres. These experts will soon be asked to meet in Islamabad or Jeddah to select carefully centres of excellence in each field.

The minister urged the IDB to reduce interest on its loans for education and research.

Another proposal forwarded to the IDB related to the eminent Muslim scientists settled in the West and facing hostile environment there.

The minister has suggested that such scientists should be offered attractive terms and conditions that could persuade them to serve in the OIC states.