ISLAMABAD – Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin called on Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Friday. He was accompanied, among others, by Mr. Masoom Stanakzai, Head of High Peace Council Secretariat and Ambassador Umer Daudzai. Foreign Minister Khar was assisted by Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani and Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq. Both sides discussed political and economic issues of mutual interest and matters relating to the trilateral Core Group of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US.

The Foreign Minister stressed that Pakistan has an abiding interest in stability in Afghanistan and our leadership is committed to strengthening relations with that country. She said that Pakistan would be supportive of any political solution for peace in Afghanistan that is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned. She reiterated Pakistan's interest in extension of transit trade arrangements to the Central Asian nations bordering Afghanistan.

The Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister thanked Pakistan for its support to peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan and appreciated Prime Minister Gilani's statement of 24th February in this regard. Both sides agreed that Pak-Afghan relations are moving in the right direction. (PR)