ISLAMABAD Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari announced on Tuesday government awards for US Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden and Republican Senator Richard Lugar.

Zardari had awarded them the `Hilal-i-Pakistan` (Crescent of Pakistan) `in recognition of their consistent support for Pakistan`, the government said in a statement.

Biden and Lugar in July introduced a bipartisan US aid plan which calls for $1.5 billion per year in non-military spending to support economic development in Pakistan.

Biden was a member of the three-senator delegation that came to Pakistan to observe the parliamentary elections held on February 18, 2008. In a joint statement, the senators adjudged the elections to be free and Biden called for an expanded US package for Pakistan that would shift the focus from military to economic aid.

Senator Biden is currently Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, while Senator Lugar, the previous holder of the chairmanship, is the senior-most Republican on the committee. As such, the two have a great deal of power in shaping US foreign policy.

Pakistan has figured in the US presidential election campaign, with both Democratic candidate Barack Obama and Republican John McCain speaking of the need for more focus on defeating the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan and eradicating al Qaeda from Pakistans borderlands.

Opinion

Editorial

Afghan outreach
11 Jan, 2025

Afghan outreach

AS much mistrust marks Pakistan’s relations with the Afghan Taliban, Kabul’s rulers are reaching out to regional...
Fragile recovery
11 Jan, 2025

Fragile recovery

STATE Bank Governor Jameel Ahmed appears to be quite optimistic over recent economic gains. That is not unusual;...
Destination Europe
11 Jan, 2025

Destination Europe

THE country’s aviation authorities can rest a little easy. After a four-year banishment from European skies,...
E-governance
Updated 10 Jan, 2025

E-governance

Wishing for a viable e-governance system seems like a pipe dream when stable internet connectivity is not guaranteed.
Khuzdar rampage
Updated 10 Jan, 2025

Khuzdar rampage

Authorities must explain how terrorists were able to commandeer the area for eight hours.
Beyond wheelchairs
10 Jan, 2025

Beyond wheelchairs

THE KP government’s Rs370m assistance programme for persons with disabilities is a positive step, not only in ...