May 9, 2003	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 6, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, May 8: Shaukat Aziz, the federal finance minister, while talking to John Greensmith, International Executive Director of ‘Plan International’, urged the donors to help Pakistan according to country’s priorities and avoid redundancy.

‘Plan International’ is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) with a focus on children and their needs at global level. Dr Purnima chattopadhayaya-Dutt, the country director of ‘Plan Pakistan’ also accompanied Mr Greensmith in the meeting.

The finance minister said the government appreciated Plan Pakistan’s activities in the sphere of development activities centred around children.

Mr Greensmith, on a visit to Pakistan, in his meeting apprised the minister that the Plan with an estimated budget of around US$300 million is engaged in activities with focus on children and their needs in 47 countries all over the world including Pakistan.

Mr Aziz invited the Plan to participate in the forthcoming Pakistan Development Forum (PDF) meeting likely to be attended by donors like the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and major international NGOs.

The minister said the donors should come forward to help us according to our priorities. “If it fits in what people need here then they are welcome,” Mr Aziz said. He also informed the International Executive Director of Plan International about the steps the government has already identified in country’s Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (IPRSP).

The minister urged Plan Pakistan to extend its activities in the province of Sindh so that it could really outreach the whole of Pakistan.

Dr Purnima informed the minister that the Plan Pakistan had already four regular programmes at the districts of Mansehra, Chakwal, Vehari and Rawalpindi besides a relief unit for Afghan refugees in Chaman near Pak-Afghan border and a birth registration project in NWFP.