Afghan President invites Prime Minister of Pakistan to visit Afghanistan. PHOTO: FILE
President Karzai on Thursday telephoned the PM and felicitated him on his assumption of office.
Karzai also extended an invitation to Nawaz to visit Afghanistan, the first invitation for the PM from any head of state as of yet.
The prime minister accepted the invitation and thanked the Afghan president for inviting him. Nawaz said he was looking forward to visiting Afghanistan.
Earlier, while talking to the PM, Karzai extended his best wishes and expressed the hope that both the brotherly countries will continue to work for further improvement in the bilateral relations, which would bode well for peace and stability in the region.
Karzai also commended the democratic transition of power in Pakistan after the general elections.
Sources privy to the conversation told The Express Tribune that both the leaders discussed important issues pertaining to bilateral ties and trilateral ties with the United States (US). US troops’ 2014 withdrawal and Pakistan’s new foreign policy towards dialogue with the Taliban were the focal points of the conversation.
Karzai lauded the role Nawaz played in bridging gaps between the two countries and for supporting the settlement process in Afghanistan.
During Karzai’s last visit to Pakistan back in June 2011, both the leaders were supposes to have a meeting but it was cancelled due to unspecified reasons.
Iran felicitates Nawaz
On Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also felicitated the newly elected PM and the people of Pakistan on successful elections.
President Ahmadinejad expressed confidence that relations between the two brotherly countries would flourish under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Sources said that later during a telephonic conversation with the Iranian president, which was not publicised, Ahmadinejad hoped for the timely completion of the Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline project. “The president (Ahmadinejad) with anticipation expressed his resolve to go a long way with the democratically elected incoming government and hoped for the timely completion of in-process mega projects including Pak-Iran gas pipeline without considering any pressure.”
In a separate message, Speaker of the Iran's Consultative Assembly Ali Larijani, congratulated Nawaz Sharif and stated that the transfer of power to PML-N was indicative of high confidence reposed by the people of Pakistan in Nawaz and his party.
The Iranian Speaker also hoped for increased parliamentary interaction between the two countries in the days ahead.
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India will order the Afghan premier to cancel his call. The telephone company will refund the money.
@ Indians commenting here
Yeah drone attacks kill terrorists but what about casualties of innocents including women and children. I know at Times Of India many Indians laugh at the misery of Pakistan but I would suggest that one must think about those who lost their loved ones. Remove the goggles of hatred and prejudice for few seconds and think as a human. I know that Indian media is always spitting venom showing that everyone in Pakistan is a potential terrorist and must be nuked, Pakistan is isolated and so on but the world doesn't end at your media outlets.
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: With out help of US pakistan can't even able to survive..forget afghanistan. Pakistan do not have any leverage over afghanistan even after 2014.Most Afghanis considered pakistani's as there number one enemy.
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: "Pakistan should take the advantage of this occasion, provided, if US agree to completely abondened the drone strikes on Pakistan " Drone strikes are necessitated by export of terror from Pakistan's Bad Lands. If Pakistan is capable of stopping such export and there is evidence that terror has ceased to come from its territory, there is no need for any agreements as US will stop such strikes on its own. Also remember, Pakistan has absolutely no leverage and therefore is in no position to make any demands, much less getting any of them satisfied. You have proven your impotence or incompetence or unwillingness to deal with the problem. You may be extended the courtesy of not being ignored but, nothing more!
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: "Without the help of Pakistan, withdrawl of US troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 is not possible."
What help can Pakistan provide? Pakistan has no control over FATA or Baluchistan. Pakistan is helpless against the terrorists and separatists in these regions. Perhaps, US has more control over these regions than Pakistan. Without help from US the new government in Pakistan cannot even present its first budget.
The Most confused premier on the earth!
Without the help of Pakistan, withdrawl of US troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 is not possible.
Pakistan should take the advantage of this occasion, provided, if US agree to completely abondened the drone strikes on Pakistan and a written agreement should be signed between the Prime Minister and US President Obama.