Afghan President Hamid Karzai is arriving here today (Thursday) on a one-day official visit and would discuss security, trade and other issues of mutual interest with Pakistani authorities. During his daylong visit, the Afghan President would meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.
It is the first high level interaction between the two strategically important countries after new US President's special envoy on Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke. Karzai would discuss the latest security situation with Pakistan authorities and evolving new modalities for overcoming the cross border terrorism and extremism.
The two sides would also discuss progress on the issues of mutual interest, which were discussed during President Zardari's first visit to Kabul in January this year. The two sides may also discuss the recent deal of Pakistan made with Swat Taliban, particularly its repercussions on Pakistan and Afghanistan as both the countries had suffered a lot due to militancy and Talibanization in their respective countries.
It was also learnt that the two sides would also discuss new trade and economic co-operation mechanism during Karzai's visit. Under South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement, Pakistan is set to allow duty concessions on import of over 1000 items from Afghanistan. Federal Cabinet has already approved this proposal and it is expected that this facility to Afghan. A landlocked country, Afghanistan is mostly dependent upon transit countries for its foreign trade.