President begins Pakistan visit to reinforce ties

KABUL on his first two-day state visit to build relations with the neighbouring country.

The Presidential Palace in Kabul said President Ghani would meet his Pakistani counterpart Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his top security advisor Sartaj Aziz and leaders of various political parties during his visit.

Ghani visits Pakistan at the invitation of Sharif to hold talks on strengthening relations and biletral cooperation in various fields between the two countries, it said.

The president is expected to meet Afghan and Pakistani traders and lawmakers.

A day earlier, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasneem Aslam the Afghan leader would hold bilateral meetings with President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to discuss bilateral relations and regional security situation.

She added issues pertaining to border security would also come up for discussion during the meetings.

Ghani’s visit follows a trip by Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif to Kabul, which Afghan officials had said was encouraging.

The Afghan president is accompanied by his National Security Advisor Mohammad Hanif Atmar, his special representative on reforms and good governance Ahmad Zia Massoud and Chief Executive Officer Abullah Abdullah’s first deputy Mohammad Khan.

Acting foreign, education, commerce and border ministers are also accompanying President Ghani on the trip, while Finance Minister Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal is already in Islamabad.

Other senior defence ministry, High Peace Council Secretaraite chief and a number of Afghan lawmakers are part of the Afghan delegation.

The new Afghan leader is expected to seek improved ties with Pakistan crucial to reviving the long-stalled peace talks with the Taliban by year’s end.

Ghani and Sharif are expected to watch a cricket match between the two countries on Saturday in a public demonstration of better relations despite fraught cross-border tensions.

Both countries accuse each other of allowing militants to shelter in the border regions and launch bloody attacks that threaten regional stability.

Former president Hamid Karzai long accused Pakistan of continuing to fuel the Taliban insurgency to destabilise his country as a hedge against Indian influence here, a charge Islamabad denies.

Despite repeated visits to Pakistan by Karzai, there was little improvement in relations during his 13-years in power.

Ghani arrived at Chaklala air base in Rawalpindi, Islamabad’s twin city, on Friday and was greeted by Sartaj Aziz.

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