PM Ashraf in Afghanistan for trilateral summit

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf left here Thursday for Kabul to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai and participate in the trilateral summit, also to be attended by British Prime Minister David Cameron. The Prime Minister who is visiting Kabul on a day-long official visit, was accompanied by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Advisor to the PM on Interior Rehman Malik and Minister of State for Commerce Abbas Ahmed Afridi. Talking to reporters prior to his departure at the Chaklala Air Base, the Prime Minister said his first visit to the “brotherly” neighbouring country Afghanistan on the invitation of President Karzai would help strengthen relations between both the countries. PM Ashraf said the agenda of his visit to Afghanistan is focused on bilateral ties, political stability in Afghanistan and efforts to counter terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Answering a question on trilateral summit, Prime Minister Ashraf said he would also discuss important issues with Prime Minister Cameron including measures to check terrorism and extremism in the region. He termed the visit “very important” in the current circumstances and hoped for a positive outcome. He said Pakistan as a frontline state had rendered enormous sacrifices to ensure peace in the region. He also said Pakistan was not only fighting its own war but was also contributing for the sake of global peace. He said the forbearance and persistence of the Pakistani nation was exemplary and added that the sacrifices must be acknowledged by the international community.