Former president and co-chairman of the opposition, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Kabul on Thursday to discuss joint efforts to strengthen anti-terror cooperation and to boost people-to-people contacts, Afghan and Pakistani officials said in Kabul.
Zardari and several PPP leaders are visiting Kabul on the invitation extended by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during his visit to Islamabad in November last year.
A Pakistani embassy official confirmed to The Express Tribune by the phone that Mr. Zardari had arrived in the Afghan capital.
Pakistani ambassador in Kabul Abrar Hussain and other diplomats joined senior Afghan officials to receive the former president.
Former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and PPP leader Sherry Rehman also accompanied the former president.
The foreign office also welcomed the visit of the opposition leaders to Kabul.
The new spokesperson of the foreign office, Khalilullah Qazi, described the visit as a “good omen” and said that the government encourages political contacts between the two countries as they can be beneficial in promoting bilateral ties.
In January, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had hosted top Pakistani Pashtun leaders, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Qaumi Watan Party’s head Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and ANP leader Afrasiab Khattak.
Afghan media says the PPP delegation will call on the Afghan President and Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah to discuss the role of Pakistani political leaders to fight terrorism and to ensure security in border areas between the two countries.
“The Afghan side is likely to bring the PPP leaders’ attention towards the plight of the Afghan refugees,” an Afghan official said.
The Afghan leadership has invited several other Pakistani politicians including JUI-F chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Sirajul Haq. Both leaders have accepted the invitation, party officials say.
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