Qureshi visits Afghanistan for high-level talks

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi arrived here on Saturday to meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other senior officials during his first foreign trip after assuming office.

"The main purpose of the Foreign Minister's visit is to improve coordination on security-related issues between the two countries," Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said. Qureshi will be in Afghanistan for a day.

"Successful outcome of the visit will lead future efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation under bilateral frameworks of cooperation including Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity, Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Coordination Authority and Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Economic Commission etc," said Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal.

He said that Qureshi's maiden foreign visit after assuming office underlined the importance that the government attaches to work closely with Afghanistan for regional peace and stability.

Qureshi will be accompanied by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and the Director-General for Afghan relations along with other officials. The Pakistani delegation will also meet Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani.

Apart from meeting Ghani, Qureshi will also meet Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. Bilateral trade matters, closure of the Pakistan Consulate General in Jalalabad due to a security crisis, terrorism and border management will be discussed among other matters, Geo News reported.

The Pakistani Foreign Minister had expressed the wish to visit Afghanistan after taking office. Following that, his Afghan counterpart Rabbani extended an invitation to him to visit Kabul.

Qureshi will also extend an invitation to the Afghan President on behalf of Prime Minister Imran Khan to visit Pakistan.

--IANS

soni/