Japan has agreed to provide new grant assistance worth 1,236 million Japanese Yen ($9.06 million) to Pakistan for the upgradation of sewerage and drainage services in Multan.
Ministry of Economic Affairs Secretary Mian Asad Hayat-ud-Din and Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan WADA Mitsuhiro signed the agreement during a ceremony which was witnessed by Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan HONDA Taro and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ayaz Sadiq.
The objective of the aforementioned project is to strengthen the operational system and implementation capacity of sewerage services in the Water and Sanitation Agency’s (WASA) area of jurisdiction in Multan by providing the equipment required for cleaning and maintenance of sewers and drainage channels.
Before the signing of the agreement, Vice-Minister HONDA Taro held a meeting with Ayaz Sadiq. He said that Japan is focused on providing its continuous support for health, education, environment, security, disaster management, and water & sanitation to Pakistan through various projects. He said that Japan hopes to expand its cooperation with Pakistan in areas including trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges.
Ayaz Sadiq apprised the Vice-Minister that Japanese economic assistance has played a vital role in the socio-economic uplift of Pakistan and that it will continue to have a similar impact in the future. He highlighted that in the wake of current floods in Balochistan, Pakistan hopes to learn from the Japanese experience of dealing with natural calamities like floods.
The Government of Japan has provided total development assistance of $11.7 billion to Pakistan since 1954. Currently, it is providing financial assistance of $37.62 million for the improvement of the Water Treatment Plant and Water Distribution System in Faisalabad. Japan has already provided grant assistance worth $13.14 million for the replacement of the Pumping Machinery at the Inline Booster Pump Station and Terminal Reservoir in Faisalabad and $20.77 million for energy saving in the Water Supply System in Lahore.
Source: Pro Pakistan