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Thursday March 28, 2024

Abbasi to visit Kabul next week

By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
March 22, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will undertake visit of Afghanistan next week. The schedule of the visit is being worked out through diplomatic channels.

Afghan Ambassador Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal had an important meeting with the Prime Minister here at the Prime Minister Office (PMO) on Wednesday. It has added significance in the backdrop of Prime Minister Abbasi’s last week’s meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence in Washington where the Afghan issue was figured prominently.

Prime Minister’s National Security Adviser (NSA) General (R) Nasser Khan Janjua dashed to Kabul last week where he had interaction with prominent people including Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and President Ashraf Ghani who extended invitation for Prime Minister Shahid Abbasi for visiting Kabul.

The sources told The News that Afghan ambassador who is also packing up shortly discussed with the Prime Minister prospectuses of his visit to Afghan capital soon and subjects that could come up for deliberations. It has been officially stated that Ambassador Hazarat Omar Zakhiwal discussed with the Prime Minister bilateral relations and efforts for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister strongly condemned suicide blast at a shrine in Kabul today in which many precious lives were lost while a number of people got injured. He expressed Pakistan’s solidarity with the government and people of Afghanistan over this brutal act of terrorism.

Expressing Pakistan’s desire for strengthening engagement with Afghanistan to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in diverse fields, the Prime Minister underlined importance of institutional interaction and high level exchanges to enhance bilateral trade, economic cooperation and transit of Afghan goods through Pakistan. The Prime Minister also stressed the need of deepening connectivity between the two countries and expediting ongoing regional projects including TAPI and CASA1000.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reiterated Pakistan’s support to efforts for Afghan reconciliation under an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

The Afghan Ambassador appreciated Prime Minister’s reaffirmation of Pakistan’s support for strengthening of bilateral relations while conveying that President Ashraf Ghani and Afghan leadership also desired meaningful engagement with Pakistan in all areas of interaction.