PHOTO: AFP/FILE
This visit is coming at an important juncture as political and security transitions are underway in Afghanistan, marked by the upcoming elections and Nato troop withdrawal during 2014, stated the government in a press release on Friday.
The prime minister seeks to strengthen bilateral ties with Afghanistan and he believes that relations should be underpinned by a strong trade and economic partnership, says the release.
The government also emphasised how Pakistan has been extending assistance to Afghanistan in the form of infrastructure, health and education projects, in order to contribute to Afghanistan’s socio-economic development.
The two countries are also involved in road, rail and connectivity projects and Pakistan has offered Afghanistan US $20 million for training of Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).
During his visit, Nawaz will also be meeting with Afghanistan's High Peace Council, led by Chairman Salahuddin Rabbani.
This upcoming visit will strengthen the positive momentum in bilateral relations and help intensify common endeavours in the pursuit of durable peace, stability and prosperity in the region, states the government in their release.
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@Zalmai, Once again: Generally it is not my policy to respond to Hindu Indians who hide under Muslim names, but I will make an exception here. Have some courage and come in your real names.
As a Pukhtoon and Pakistani, I have every right to voice my opinion here. Pashto is alive and thriving here in Pakistan, along with numerous dialects and sister languages. No one will doubt that 75% of the world Pukhtoon population resides in Pakistan.
The Durand line seems to have divided only those secular nationalist racist minority who are puppets of foreign powers (like Karzai) to declare themselves superior to religious Afghans and to other Pukhtoons behind an imaginary line in Pakistan.
Tribalism and ethnic fascism has completely destroyed Afghanistan. Tajiks, Hazara, Pukhtoons cannot live in peace in Afghanistan because of this loss of Islam and ethnic chauvinism. It doesn't help the fact that 5 million Pukhtoons have been forced to flee Afghanistan due to persecution from a Non-Pukhtoon government.
Once again Bakhtiyar feels it absolutely within his right to not only speak for the Pashtun community within the confines of British outlined borders in Pakistan but also those whom reside in Pakistan. I think we're capable of speaking for ourselves.
We don't need friends like Pakistan.
@ Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan
FYI the Pashtuns are ruling Afghanistan. We're not brothers or cousins, you on the other side of the Durrand Line are not the same as the Pashtuns on the Afghan side.
Sixtyseven years of social engineering, deprivation and proscription of the Pashto language in Pakistan has resulted in producing Pakistani Pashtuns that morphed in to something else. You don't identify with Abdali and Hotaki and we don't identify with Jinnah.
The Pashtuns that rule Afghanistan are not the Pashtuns that Pakistan would like to see in power that's the only problem.
Watch Afghan television and you will have an idea of what I'm talking about that's if you speak and understand Pashto.
Pakistan's influence in Afghanistan is mainly among Pukhtoon Afghans who are blood brothers and ethnic cousins of ours. The present Afghan government has marginalized and isolated Pukhtoons in Afghanistan, this is why we see the unfriendly relations between the two. As Pukhtoons reclaim their right to rule themselves and as foreigners flee Afghanistan, we will see a more Pro-Pakistan stance from Afghanistan.
Another trip?
@Noor Din: The problem is that Nawaz Sharif is not only dealing with Karzai but also the Indians. India has long been using Afghanistan as a client state to mount attacks against Pakistan. Sharif must tell Afghanistan to stop being a puppet state of India and work with Pakistan. Afghanistan needs to accept all of its refugees back and help secure the border so there is no illegal entry of Afghans into Pakistan.
Sharif is biggest promoter of peace in SAARC and Karzai is biggest hypocrite.
Mayor of Kabul is unlikely to stay in Afghanistan after the US and NATO pullout, he will be running for his life. Most think tanks in the west are pointing to the fall of Kabul/Afghanistan to the Taliban again. Pakistan should weigh this open ended option with more prudence and pragmatism. Can prove to be dangerous times for Afghanistan and the neighboring countries.
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/11/07/3885973.htm
http://www.news.com.au/world/afghan-govt-will-collapse-and-taliban-will-rule-again-afghan-expert-says/story-fndir2ev-1226482961066
Mr. Prime Minister! please be careful and on the watch when you mee this Karzai guy. Just saying that he is a hypocrite, and self-centered, will be an oversimplification. The region got where it is today because of this guy and all three in the presidential race. Just be on the caution,he is no one's friend.
I think Pakistan should take a much broader approach of willing to work with Afghanistan than just Mr. Karazai. Afghanistan has much more stakeholders beyond Karazi and Pakistan should take a broad base approach.
Mr. Sharif, Take measured steps and make no commitments. You are dealing with an arrogant crook who thinks diplomacy is a chess game.