From Rezaul H Laskar Islamabad, Feb 16 (PTI) Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrived in Islamabad today on a two-day state visit for bilateral talks and to attend a tri-lateral summit of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan that will focus on the regional security situation, officials said. Karzai is accompanied by members of his Core Policy Group that includes the Foreign Minister, National Security Advisor and his Chief of Staff, the Afghan Embassy said. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to arrive later in the day for the summit being hosted by President Asif Ali Zardari. Shortly after his arrival, Karzai held one-on-one and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. The Pakistani delegation included army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Foreign Minister Hina Khar and Interior Minister Rehman Malik. Strategy for Afghanistan after withdrawal of US troops, the bilateral meetings and the trilateral summit are expected to focus on the regional security situation, particularly the reconciliation process in Afghanistan and IranĀ's tensions with Israel over its controversial nuclear programme. The war on terrorism and efforts to counter drug trafficking and crimes too are expected to figure in the talks, officials said. The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project will figure in talks between Zardari and Ahmadinejad. Minister for States and Frontier Regions Engineer Shaukatullah, senior officials and Afghan diplomats received President Zardari on his arrival at a military airbase. MORE
