ISLAMABAD: The US Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome said on Monday that the Washington’s development assistance is provided without loans, pointing fingers towards China, without mentioning the name.
Addressing a function “together we build “organized by the Pakistan National Council of Arts he said that for more than 75 years, the United States has partnered with the Government of Pakistan on infrastructure development projects that have made tangible improvements in the lives of millions of Pakistanis. And these projects include the construction of roads and bridges, primary schools and universities, electric transmission lines and water systems. These projects continue to transform lives and create opportunities for individuals in all parts of the country.
“Since 2005, the United States government has invested close to $2 billion in infrastructure across Pakistan. Some of the most famous examples are the Tarbela and Mangla Dams, which the United States helped to construct in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2013, we upgraded both dams to make sure they continued to meet the needs of another four million Pakistanis. And the work to maintain and upgrade those continues today, “he added.
The US ambassador further stated that the US has also partnered with local governments to expand access to healthcare and education by rebuilding and refurbishing more than 60 health centers and hospitals, including a new state-of-the-art burn and trauma center in Peshawar, and a total of 345 primary, secondary, and high schools. In higher education, the United States has partnered with Pakistan to establish top-notch institutions, including IBA Karachi, the Lahore University of Management Sciences, and the Centers for Advanced Studies in Water, Energy, and Food Security. which you have heard about today.
“First, our development assistance is provided without loans. Instead, we provide grants that allow communities to benefit from modern infrastructure without the long-term burdens of debt payments,” he said adding that the US invests in people, not just physical infrastructure. U.S. projects prioritize job creation and capacity building for local people. From the construction of roads and bridges to the establishment of university campuses and healthcare centers, our programs create jobs, they promote entrepreneurship and enhance local expertise – all of which put more money into the local economy.
The U.S. approach ensures that infrastructure investments serve the local community and provide services and opportunities directly to the people, adding that the US are rehabilitating irrigation canals, reconstructing schools, or providing solar energy solutions, our projects directly serve local needs and ensure that communities can maintain them.
