PM Abbasi to visit Kabul on Friday

Premier will hold talks on issues of mutual interest with Afghan President Ghani and CE Abdullah Abdullah

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will make a daylong visit to neighbouring Afghanistan on Friday, reported Radio Pakistan.

The visit to Kabul comes at the invitation of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, whose latest initiative, unveiled on the first day of the international conference on peace, envisaged unconditional talks with the Afghan Taliban.

Pakistan has thrown its weight behind the fresh initiative and said it would make an all-out effort to facilitate the peace process, calling for lasting peace and stability in the war-torn nation and for improving bilateral engagement.



According to reports, PM Abbasi will hold talks on issues of mutual interest in meetings with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. Peace talks, economic matters, security and counter-terror operations, and the successful rehabilitation of Afghan refugees are expected to be discussed.

Islamabad has previously reiterated its support for the development efforts in Afghanistan and is expected to pledge further resources for education, health and infrastructure sectors of the country during the visit of the prime minister, a press release issued in this regard by the Foreign Office stated.



According to the FO, the premier will also hold deliberations with the senior leadership in Kabul over means to facilitate travel, assist in education and improve medical treatment for people affected by the conflict in Afghanistan.

Despite trading blame for militancy and terrorism over the years, relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan are now improving. The two countries are key parties to a trans-regional gas pipeline that aims to connect Central Asia to South Asia and are cooperating with each other on projects related to trade and electricity all over the region.