ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz has expressed gratitude to the Japanese government for lifting economic sanctions against Pakistan and providing it assistance to help offset the negative effects of the current volatile situation in the region.

In a meeting with Secretaries General of Japan’s ruling coalition parties after arriving in Tokyo from Hong Kong, he said the post-Sept 11 events had hurt Pakistan’s economy in the shape of reduced tax collection, falling exports and shrinking foreign investment.

According to a message received here, the minister asked the Japanese side to give debt relief to Pakistan.

This, the finance minister explained, would provide fiscal space to the country to improve the lot of the people by initiating social and economic uplift projects.

The government was determined to carry out structural reforms for the benefit of the people and needed support from its friends, he added.

He called for an active role of Japan in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Afghanistan, something that was essential for peace and stability in the region.

The top officials of Japan’s ruling coalition parties told the minister that their country had proposed to hold an international conference for rehabilitation and reconstruction of Afghanistan.—APP