Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Kabul (BNA) Hamid Karzai President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan met Pakistan Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday and discussed ways to carry forward the process of constructive engagement between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The two leaders in a one-on-one meeting at the Prime Minister House, which lasted for an hour, focused on all issues of common interest including strengthening bilateral ties and the current situation in the region.
President Karzai and Prime Minister Sharif exchanged views on their countries’ relationship based on faith, kinship and culture.
Both the leaders discussed the common challenges facing their countries. The one-on-one meeting was followed by delegation level talks.
The Afghan delegation included Foreign Minister Dr. Zalmai Rassoul, National Security Advisor Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta, Minister for Finance Hazrat Omer Zakhilwall, and Minister for Commerce Dr. Anwar ul Haq Ahady, Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ershad Ahmadi, Chairman Transition Coordination Commission Dr. Ashraf Ghazni Ahmadzai, Chairman High Peace Council Salahuddin Rabbani and Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Mohammad Umer Daudzai.
The Pakistan side comprised Minister for Finance Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Advisor to PM on National Security Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant to PM on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi, Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Director General of ISI Gen Mohammad Zahir ul Islam, Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani and Secretary Commerce Qasim M Niaz.
This is Karzai’s first visit to Islamabad on the invitation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif since the swearing-in of new government in Pakistan. His visit comes at a time when Afghanistan is undergoing important political and security transition as withdrawal of NATO-ISAF forces is due to be completed by December 2014.
Meanwhile, Pakistan and Afghanistan signed agreements in Islamabad on Monday for promotion of volume of trade and strengthening of economic relations. The Finance Ministers of the two countries signed the documents.
The signing ceremony was also witnessed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The two sides agreed to jointly construct a hydro-power dam on Kunar River.
Also, they agreed to construct a railroad between Chaman-Kandahar and Peshawar-Jalalabad cities.
Likewise, Pakistan committed to complete the work on projects which are still uncompleted which includes Tourkham –Jalalabad highway.
