Joe Biden to visit Pakistan on Jan. 9 to defuse tension

Lahore, Jan 5 (ANI): United States vice-president-elect Joseph Biden will arrive in Pakistan on a two-day visit this week on January 9 to defuse the tension between Pakistan and India after the Mumbai terror attacks.

A private TV channel quoted diplomatic sources as saying that a high-level congressional delegation would also accompany Biden.

The delegation would meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to discuss the war on terror in Pakistan, Pak-India relations and a 15 billion dollars aid package for Islamabad.

The sources said the US delegation is likely to arrive in Pakistan on January 9, the Daily Times reported.

Meanwhile, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Affairs Richard Boucher will land in Islamabad today in an important visit when tension between Pakistan and India is going on.

Boucher would meet Zardari, Gillani, Adviser on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik, National Security Adviser Mahmood Durrani and other important personalities.

Over Pakistan-India tension, Boucher would clear the American policies before the Pakistani high ups, as the US did not want war in the region.

Boucher would ask Pakistan to remain cool and would attempt to defuse tension with India. (ANI)