Musharraf discusses micro financing initiatives with Bangladesh's Mohammad Yunus

from The Malaysian Sun

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today directed the country's finance managers to develop innovative methods for extending micro-finance credits at the grassroots level to help enhance job opportunities and eradicate poverty.

The direction was given after a meeting with the Managing Director of the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, Dr. Mohammad Yunus, who called on Musharraf at his Camp Office in Rawalpindi on Monday.

Advisor to PM on Finance Dr. Salman Shah, Minister of State for Finance Omer Ayub Khan, Secretary General Finance Naveed Ahsan and President Khushali Bank Ghalib Nishtar were also present during the meeting.

Musharraf directed the finance team to exchange ideas with the Grameen Bank so that its successes could be replicated in Pakistan.He said that the poorer sections should benefit sooner rather than later from the economic turn around in the country and must have the resources to stand ontheir own feet.

He said with the availability of financial resources people can beem powered to set up their small scale businesses, which on the one hand would bring a perceptible change in their living and on the other create greater employment opportunities.

Musharraf said the people of Pakistan and Bangladesh enjoy very close relations in all fields and these would be further strengthened in the years to come.

Musharraf congratulated Dr. Yunus on winning the prestigious Nobel Award in recognition of his services to humanity.