Trilateral summit: Ahmadinejad arrives in Islamabad as Karzai meets Gilani

Talks to focus on peace talks with the Afghan Taliban and establishment of an independent relationship with Pakistan. PHOTO: AFP

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has arrived in Pakistan for a two-day visit to attend the Pakistan-Iran-Afghanistan trilateral summit in Islamabad, Express News reported on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani welcomed Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the President House.

In a meeting at the Prime Minister House, Gilani and Karzai discussed a range of issues, including the regional situation and bilateral ties, which have been hit by mistrust following recent cross-border attacks. The two leaders also discussed ongoing efforts for restoring peace in conflict-hit Afghanistan, such as US’ negotiations with the Taliban in which both Pakistan and Afghanistan have felt neglected by the US.

The meeting was followed by delegation-level talks. Prime Minister Gilani was assisted by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan and Commerce Minister Amin Fahim. The PM’s advisers Asim Hussain (natural resources) and Hafeez Shaikh (finance) and minister-in-waiting Engineer Shaukatullah were also present.

Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence Director-General Lt-Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha were also in attendance.

The Afghan delegation included Karzai, Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul and Defence Minister General Abdul Rahim Wardak. Afghan National Security Adviser Rangin Dadfar Spanta, Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Jawed Ludin, Ambassador of Afghanistan to Pakistan Muhammad Umar Daudzai and other senior Afghan government officials also attended the meeting.