Afghanak Home of the afghans افغانک خانه افغانها

Karzai arrives tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Ambassador to Afghanistan Tariq Azizuddin has started consultations with senior officials regarding the visit of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to Islamabad from February 15-17.

President Karzai will be accompanied by Governors of Kandahar, Khost, Nangarhar and Uruzgan provinces. Five ministers and four members of the Afghan parliament will also be part of Karzai�s entourage. The ministers for foreign affairs, commerce, finance, defence and national security will also be reaching Islamabad Wednesday evening along with President Karzai. Before his return o­n Friday, Karzai will visit Charsadda to condole the sad demise of ANP leader Khan Abdul Wali Khan.

Following his meetings in the Foreign Office, the envoy told The News that the proposed visit will be the first state visit of President Karzai to Pakistan. He travelled to Pakistan last March to witness the Pakistan Day Parade. A few months earlier he came to Pakistan to show solidarity with the government and people of Pakistan in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake. The two visits were not state sponsored.

Karzai will start his three-day state visit to Pakistan Wednesday o­n the invitation of President Pervez Musharraf. Deputy Chief of Protocol Hamid Asghar presided over a high-level meeting in the Foreign Office to review arrangements for the visit.