Australia announces $24m assistance for IDPs

ISLAMABAD: Australia has announced $24 million for Pakistan in development assistance, which will see funds diverted to support and rehabilitate the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in tribal areas, while some financial assistance will reach the World Bank for trade and investment programmes in Pakistan.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced it while addressing a joint press conference together with PM’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz at the Foreign Office.
On her maiden two-day visit to Pakistan as foreign minister, where she will be meeting with the civil and military leadership, Bishop told the media on arrival that her visit and meeting with Pakistani leaders is aimed at discussing the growing strength of bilateral partnership and important regional and international issues.
Both countries over the years have built up strong defence and security ties, while the military personnel imparted military training and English language courses in Australia.Worried about the growing menace of terrorism and militancy, countering transnational crimes including drug and human smuggling, Bishop said Australia would be holding a summit on counterterrorism in June.
“We are doing what we can while working with likeminded countries including Pakistan. The ideology has to be defeated and we see this as a generational struggle. We now see Australian defence forces in Iraq,” Bishop stated.
To a query regarding the Islamic State, which she said was entrenched in Syria and Iraq, Bishop said, “We believe that there are around 100 foreign terrorists from Australia currently in Iraq and Syria supporting this barbaric and terrorist organisation. We have now implemented new laws.”
Regarding Australia’s assistance to India where it will soon export uranium, Bishop said Australia wanted to see India succeed economically.“Australia has significant reserves of uranium and gas which it wants to export. India is pursuing a civil nuclear power plan and Australia is prepared to sell uranium to India under strict safeguards which have legal requirements,” Bishop asserted. She added that these safeguards have to be met and the agreement with India is still being negotiated.
On Kashmir, Bishop refused to be drawn in and chose not to take sides, and rather encouraged both the nuclear neighbours to engage in dialogue to resolve the issue.“It is a fact that Kashmir is an issue which needs to be resolved by Pakistan and India. One should not give up talking. But we (Australia) do not take sides,” she said.
On Afghanistan, the Australian foreign minister said it was during her recent visit to Kabul where President Ashraf Ghani spoke positively about Pakistan.“Afghanistan and Pakistan should work together to manage the porous borders to ensure the region is free from terrorism. Australia has 400 defence personnel inside Afghanistan,” she added.