ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will undertake a daylong visit to Kabul on Friday (today) to hold in-depth consultations with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on economic, security and counter-terrorism cooperation, the Foreign Office announced on Thursday.
The visit, on the invitation of Afghan President Muhammad Ashraf Ghani, would also allow the leaders to take up matters of mutual interest, strengthening of bilateral ties, return of Afghan refugees, combating drug production and narco-trade besides holding talks on Afghan peace process and regional political and security situation.
The Foreign Office in a statement said, “Prime Minister’s visit to Afghanistan is aimed at strengthening the positive momentum in bilateral relations and helping augment joint endeavours in pursuit of durable peace, stability and economic prosperity in the two countries, and the region.” The visit comes in the backdrop of Pakistan’s support to President Ghani’s offer of peace talks with the Taliban for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan and strengthening bilateral engagement. Abbasi would also meet senior Afghan political leaders.
During the talks, Pakistan would reiterate its stance to continue to support Afghanistan’s developments efforts through capacity building in infrastructure, educational and health sectors.
In a bid to deepen people to people contacts, the Prime Minister would discuss with the Afghan leadership ways to facilitate travel between the two countries, assist in education and medical treatment of Afghan nationals in Pakistan and expand trade and transit facilitation between the two countries. The two countries are already participating in key trans-regional initiatives to promote regional economic integration; Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline and Central Asia – South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000). The Prime Minister recently joined Afghan President in Herat to inaugurate the TAPI gas pipeline project. The two sides are also engaged in undertaking major bilateral rail-road connectivity projects.
Published in Daily Times, April 6th 2018.
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