October 29, 2008	Wednesday	Shawwal 29, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: President Asif Ali Zardari announced on Tuesday awards for US Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden and Republican Senator Richard Lugar.

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.

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.—Reuters