Musharraf said Pakistan s economy was strong enough to absorb shocks and there should no cause of concern. Responding to another question, the President said that Pakistan s external loans till 1988 were 20 billion dollars, till 1999 these had swelled to around 40 billion dollars and today these stand at 40.1 billion dollars. Had we borrowed, these would have stood at around 65 to 70 billion dollars. Musharraf said on the other hand the GDP has increased from 60 billion dollars in 1999 to the current 145 billion dollars. The debt to GDP ratio has come down to 55 per cent from 101 per cent and under the new Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation Law no government can take it over 60 per cent. The President said that in the past the government of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif borrowed Rupees 41 billion for construction of the M-2 motorway. He said so far Rs 4 billion has been paid back, while the nation was yet to pay back Rs 37 billion. The President mentioned the construction of the 750 km long Coastal Highway at a cost of Rs 16 billion by the present government in an inhospitable terrain.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/478813