NEW YORK: Major world powers meet in New York later this week to consider a proposal for helping Pakistan deal with the current economic crisis, Information Minister Sherry Rehman said on Tuesday.

The group, known as the Friends of Pakistan, includes the world’s eight industrialised nations, China, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The eight powers, known as the G-8, include the US, Canada, Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Japan.

“The group will devise a strategy to help Pakistan overcome its economic crisis,” the minister said.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Britain Wajid Shams-ul-Hassan announced last week that President Asif Ali Zardari would inaugurate the “Friends of Pakistan” forum on Sept 26 in New York.

Besides helping Pakistan deal with the current crisis, the group will also consider long-term financial assistance to the country.

Ms Rehman said that the United States and Pakistan were also holding separate strategic dialogue in Washington on Sept 28 which would focus on US economic assistance to the country.

Before a meeting with President Zardari in New York earlier Tuesday, President Bush said his country was committed to helping Pakistan overcome its current economic problems and wanted to help “spread prosperity” in a country which played a pivotal role in the US-led war on terror.