Afghans eye president's visit to Pakistan with optimism

Political observers here viewed the ongoing visit by Afghan president Mohammad Ashraf Ghani to Pakistan with optimism, saying it would lead to a new chapter in relations between the two immediate neighbours.

President Ghani embarked on a two-day official visit to Pakistan Friday with the objective of mending ties with Islamabad and reviving the stalled peace talks with the Taliban.

President Ghani's visit to Islamabad took place in the wake of the visit of Pakistani civil and military leaders including top brass Gen. Raheel Sharif, the chief of army staff of Pakistan, to Kabul over the past couple of weeks during which they assured Kabul of Islamabad's support.

The Afghan president's talks with Pakistani leaders covered a wide range of issues relating to bilateral matters including talks with the Taliban and enhancing trade and economic relations.

"President Ghani's visit to Pakistan would finally deliver if not this time, probably next time or after a few visits to Islamabad and if the international community uses its influence then peace and stability can be achieved in the region," Xinhua quoted political observer Nazari Pariani as saying.

President Ghani's predecessor Hamid Karzai had visited Pakistan 20 times to win Islamabad's support in achieving peace with the Taliban before the withdrawal of the NATO-led forces from Afghanistan before the end of 2014, but all in vain.

After returning from a four-day state visit to China earlier this month, President Ghani said that "achieving peace is not an easy task but it is compulsory to do so".