PARIS: Pakistan and France signed an agreement here … providing for the rescheduling of French credit to Pakistan. The agreement will give Pakistan relief on repayment of a certain portion of French credit. The repayment will now take place over an extended period. The agreement was signed in pursuance of the meeting of Aid-to-Pakistan Consortium held early this year which laid down that all member-countries should sign bilateral agreements with Pakistan relating to rescheduling of their credits.

The agreement was signed by Mr Sahibzada Yaqub Khan, Pakistan’s Ambassador in France and Mr S.S. Iqbal Hussain, Secretary, Economic Affairs Division. The fresh French assistance to Pakistan is expected to be forthcoming shortly. — News agencies

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from Lahore,] President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has said that the Government is making all efforts to bring down the prices of essential commodities, including Atta and sugar. He was talking to a crowd which had gathered at the Lahore airport to welcome him. The President was informed by the crowd that sugar was not available, and the price of Atta had also gone high. The President said he was aware of the situation, and every measure would be taken to maintain the supply of sugar, and to control the prices of Atta.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2022