Clinton to announce aid package for Pakistan

Sunday, 18 Jul, 2010 3:48 pm

ISLAMABAD : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will announce Monday a massive aid deal for Pakistan, a senior US official said, as it seeks to build relations with its wavering anti-terror ally. The money will focus on vital energy and water sectors, the official said, shortly after Clinton arrived in Islamabad on Sunday for high-level talks, adding that full details of the projects would be announced on Monday. The projects will be part of a five-year, 7.5 billion-dollar aid package approved by US Congress last year. The plan includes several water dam projects in the areas of Gomal Zam, Satpara and Balochistan. Three hospitals will also be renovated and expanded in Karachi, Lahore and Jacobabad. Two specific programmes are to be devoted to agriculture, one for the training of farmers in dairy production, and the other to increase production and export of mangoes.