Lack of funds may affect anti-terror war: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Saturday told special US envoy Richard Holbrooke that the anti-terror war could be badly affected if the international community failed to deliver their pledges to help Pakistan undertake projects in the affected areas of the country.

Gilani said while the time was fast running out on his government’s rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the areas cleared from militants, the committed assistance, at the Tokyo Donors Conference held more than a year ago, was yet to be delivered by the donor countries, Xinhua reported, citing a statement from the PM office.

“This delay had further accentuated the economic and energy crisis in Pakistan and the extremist elements were taking advantage of that situation,” Gilani told the US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan at a meeting here.

Gilani also termed the public support in war against terror as vitally important.

Holbrooke, who is on his two-day visit to Pakistan, expressed his country’s complete understanding of the major security and economic challenges being faced by Pakistan and assured the prime minister of full US support to help it overcome them, the statement said.