ISLAMABAD, Jan 25: Director General Asian Development Bank (ADB) South Asian region, Mr Yoshihiro Iwasaki here on Friday met Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and discussed with him the bank’s lending programme, including $350 million access to justice and police reform soft-term loan.

Mr Iwasaki briefed the minister about future ADB programmes in Pakistan. He said the bank was actively working on a two-year $180 million health, education, urban and rural drainage programme. He said $200 million devolution plan and $100 million primary school management programme at the provincial and district levels helped the government implement its reform agenda effectively.

He assured the finance minister that the ADB was committed to supporting Pakistan’s poverty reduction and growth strategy programme in the fields of health, education and poverty reduction.

The two sides discussed the implementation status of ADB-funded programme and emphasized the need for making the existing framework effective at the grass roots level for extending maximum benefit to the people.

The ADB currently has committed over $1 billion to support the pro-poor economic programme such as Khushal Pakistan, Khushali Bank, health, education, capacity building, skill development and infrastructure.

Aziz stressed the need for the most concessional financing by the ADB to accelerate implementation of poverty reduction and growth facility programme. He also appreciated recent visit of Mr Tadao Chino, the ADB President, to Pakistan and his active support to the government’s efforts at alleviating poverty through financing various projects.

The ADB Director General was informed that a Joint Committee of Secretaries of Law and Finance was established to accelerate implementation on reform agenda of the government.