US okays 150 mln dlr 'democracy dividend' for Pak

Washington, June 25 : The US House of Representatives has reportedly cleared a "democracy dividend" of 150 million dollars for Pakistan, which would be over and above the allocations Pakistan is to receive under the regular budget for 2009.

The amount would be spared from the US' war supplemental budget for 2008-2009, reported the Daily Times.

This amount will be in addition to allocations Pakistan is to receive under the regular budget for 2009 for which a total of 901 million dollars has been requested by the administration, added the paper.

The measure has already been approved by the US Senate and it only now remains to send it for the president's signatures.

Both Senator Joseph Biden and Senator Richard Lugar had proposed that Pakistan be given a "democracy dividend" to mark its return to civilian rule. As part of the war supplemental budget, the House also approved 455 million dollars for Afghanistan to help the country reinstate its economic infrastructure.

ANI