Pakistani premier arrives in Afghanistan

KABUL - Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani arrived in Afghanistan on a two-day visit Saturday, a presidential spokesman said.

Gilani is scheduled to meet senior Afghan government officials, including President Hamid Karzai, according to Simak Herawi, the deputy presidential spokesman.

The two leaders would hold talks on boosting trade between the two countries and discuss ways to better fight the extremists in the region, the spokesman said.

Gilani is also expected to inaugurate the new building for Islamabad’s embassy in Kabul, Herawi said.

Relations between the two Islamic countries and the main allies of the US in the fight against terrorism in the region have been testy as Afghan officials accuse some elements inside the Pakistani government of supporting and protecting the Taliban leaders residing in Pakistan.

Islamabad has denied the allegations and recently offered to assist the Afghan government in its peace initiative with the Taliban.

Gilani has said that no peace plan would succeed without the participation of his government, because Pakistan was part of solution.