PML-Q leader suggests Pak ask for write off of $54 billion foreign debt

[hungo]

ISLAMABAD: The PML-Q on Friday urged the government to convene a multi-party conference to evolve a national consensus on transparent use of foreign and local aid for flood-affected people to bridge the trust deficit against the government.

Mushahid Hussain, the PML-Q Secretary General, said at a press conference that only a political consensus on relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood-hit areas could restore the trust of the international community and the nation in the government.

"The government should immediately convene a multi-party conference and evolve a consensus by taking all political parties on board to jointly cope with the situation created by unprecedented floods," he said.

Mr Mushahid asked the government to request the world community to write off the $54 billion foreign debt, citing examples like those of Haiti and some African nations, whose debts had been written off by G-8 countries.

The PML-Q leader called for setting up a 'war room' in Islamabad to oversee the entire relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction operation. He suggested registration of all affected people through Nadra.

The PML-Q Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa President, Amir Muqam, criticised holding of an independent donors' conference by his province, saying that seeking direct foreign aid was illegal.

Criticising the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, Mr Muqam said there was no need to establish new structures of assistance as the armed forces were making an excellent contribution to relief, rescue and reconstruction.

DAWN.COM | National | PML-Q wants multi-party conference for use of aid

 

[gogbot]

Give up your nuclear weapons , then we will write of your debt.
Let US troops operate on the ground in Pakistan.
Downsize your military machine

Then your debts can be written off,

What a ludicrous statement ,

How long will they point a gun at their heads and demand a ransom ?

 

[thakur_ritesh]

i have not the slightest of the doubts on pakistan having asked this through official channels through back door diplomacy already, they would very well have and a request which then would have been turned down by the donors. times have changed to when musharraf had the debts written off during his days of reign which later made musharraf go hammer and tong and suggest it was under him that for the first time pakistan was debt free off the IMF with out common pakistanis really being told how the real thing came to effect.

anyways back then WoT had just begun, the bargaining power and importance of pakistan was that much more, but what is it that they have to offer this time round, all of those high stake chips which once has an importance have significantly dwindled over all these years, one is for sure, haqqani's/hakmatyaar's terror group's ass could be on fire soon.

54b usd, americans and the NATO allies will extract the last pound of flesh and i dont have a doubt on pakistan caving in on those demands as well and then they will devise a face saving formula for the paks. the other thing they would be for sure looking at would be re-scheduling of repayment of these loans which then would be spread over a significant time period than what would have been decided earlier.