ISLAMABAD, Feb 22: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has called for early adoption of legislation on the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones by the US Congress and observed that the zones would help generate economic activity in the tribal areas.

He was talking to a six-member bipartisan US congressional delegation that called on him at the PM's House here on Thursday. The delegation comprised Representatives Norman Dicks (Democrat), Marcy Kaptur (Democrat), Rodney Frelinghuysen (Republican), Steve Rothman (Democrat), Christopher Carney (Democrat) and Patrick Murphy (Democrat).

The prime minister emphasized the need for greater market access for Pakistani products in the US market and quickly moving towards a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.

He said that Pakistan valued its strong and strategic relationship with the US and wanted to expand the existing ties for the mutual benefit of both the countries, he added.

He said that all stakeholders in Afghanistan need to play their part in a holistic manner to win the hearts and minds of the people of Afghanistan.

Stressing the need for a Marshal Plan-like approach, he said that the Afghanistan reconstruction needed to be accelerated besides bringing about meaningful improvement in people’s lives.

The prime minister said that while Pakistan was not an aid-giving country, it had provided $350 million assistance to Afghanistan for accelerating economic activity. Pakistan’s trade with Afghanistan had reached $1.5 billion from only $50 million four years ago, he added.

The prime minister said that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was in the best interest of Pakistan, adding that causes and solutions of Afghan problems lied in Afghanistan.

He said Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed for the return of over three million Afghan refugees still living in Pakistan, adding that their return would be systematic and four refugee camps had already been identified.