Curtain Raiser-Prime Minister to Visit Afghanistan

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will visit Afghanistan on 12 May 2015, at the invitation of President Ashraf Ghani.

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Gen. Raheel Shairf, Chief of Army Staff, Syed Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry and senior officials.

This will be the Prime Minister’s second visit to Afghanistan and the first after the installation of National Unity Government in Kabul. Earlier, the Prime Minister visited Afghanistan on 30 November 2013.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will have tete-a-tete with President Ashraf Ghani, who will also host a lunch for the Prime Minister. Other engagements of the Prime Minister will include a meeting with the Afghan Chief Executive, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah and delegation-level talks with the Afghan side.

Building close cooperative relations with Afghanistan is a high priority in Pakistan’s foreign policy and a vital component of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s vision of a “peaceful neighbourhood.”

The Prime Minister’s visit to Afghanistan would further strengthen the positive momentum in bilateral relations and help intensify common endeavours in the pursuit of durable peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

11th May 2015

156/2015