Biden 'determined' to continue helping flood-ravaged Pakistan

New York, Sep 23 (IANS):US President Joe Biden, in a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, expressed his determination to continue extending support to the people affected by floods in Pakistan, media reports said. The two leaders met at a reception for world leaders participating in the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Express Tribune reported. During the meeting, Biden expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of several lives due to the devastating floods in Pakistan and also sympathised with the affected families, the report said. According to an official statement, Sharif expressed his gratitude to the US President for his condolences and sympathy. The premier also thanked Biden for supporting Pakistan and for urging the international community to help the flood victims. Sharif also thanked the US government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) chief for her visit to Pakistan and offered his gratitude for sending aid for the flood-affected people. Sharif, along with other world leaders, was invited to the reception by the US President. This was the first interaction between Biden and Sharif. Since being elected as the US president, Biden had not spoken to either former Prime Minister Imran Khan or his successor Sharif. Despite being informal, the meeting is significant given the fact that the Biden administration during Imran's government largely ignored Pakistan, Express Tribune reported. However, since the change of government, there has been a flurry of engagements between the two countries. Earlier, in his address to the UN General Assembly, Biden made a fervent pitch for extending help to Pakistan where floods had caused huge devastation.