Islamabad/Kabul: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today made a sudden visit to Afghanistan where he held talks with President Hamid Karzai.
Gilani's visit at the head of a high-level government delegation, was announced only on Friday evening and described as a move to boost bilateral and business ties between the two countries.
A formal welcome ceremony was held at the Presidential Palace for the Prime Minister. Gilani is accompanied by Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmed Bilour and Minister for Interior A Rehman Malik, APP reported.
As Gilani began his two-day visit, the Pakistani ambassador in Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq said Islamabad's relations with Kabul have vastly improved over the last five years.
He said as many as 70,000 Pakistanis were working in Afghanistan and a large number of Afghans educated in Pakistan were now holding important political and administrative offices in government and corporate sector of their country.
He said in contrast only 4,000 Indians are working and most of them performing security duties.
Afghan businessmen are looking for more Pakistani engineers, accountants and other professionals for infrastructure and development projects, he was quoted as saying by APP.
He said peace and reconciliation process is the internal matter of Afghanistan and Pakistan welcomes it and will continue to play its role to promote regional security and stability.
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