ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, on the invitation of Afghan President Muhammad Ashraf Ghani, will travel to Kabul on a day-long visit on Friday (April 6).

“The Prime Minister’s visit is taking place in the backdrop of Pakistan’s support to President Ghani’s offer of peace talks with the Taliban for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan and strengthening bilateral engagement,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The prime minister will have in-depth consultations with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on matters of mutual interest.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, during the visit to Kabul the prime minister will also discuss strengthening bilateral political, economic, security and counter-terrorism cooperation, the return of Afghan refugees, combating drug production and narco-trade, the Afghan peace process and the regional political and security situation.

Prime Minister Abbasi will also meet senior Afghan political leaders.

“Pakistan will continue to support Afghanistan’s development efforts through capacity building in the infrastructure, education and health sectors in Afghanistan,” the Foreign Office said.

Pakistan also aspires to deepen people-to-people contacts.

“In this regard, the prime minister would discuss with the Afghan leadership ways to facilitate travel between the two countries, assist the education and medical treatment of Afghan nationals in Pakistan and expand trade and transit facilitation between the two countries.”

To promote regional economic integration, the two countries are participating in key trans-regional initiatives, namely the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline and the Central Asia–South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000).

The prime minister recently joined the Afghan president in Herat to inaugurate the TAPI gas pipeline project.

The two sides are also engaged in undertaking major bilateral railroad connectivity projects.

“The prime minister’s visit to Afghanistan is aimed at strengthening the positive momentum in bilateral relations and helping augment joint endeavors in the pursuit of durable peace, stability and economic prosperity in the two countries, and the region,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office said.