Pakistan and Belgium signed Debt Swap Agreement for Euro 30 million assistance being provided by the Belgium government to Pakistan, following the October 2005 earthquake for the rehabilitation and reconstruction in the affected areas, says an official statement. Pakistan's Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Didier Reynders signed the agreement during the ongoing visit of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to Belgium. Under the agreement, the Belgian government has written off the Euro 30 million loan given to Pakistan, which was to be paid in 30 years. The amount of Euro 30 million swap-generated funds will be allocated to earthquake fund of the Asian Development Fund for rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Pakistan's earthquake affected areas.
