President Karzai Returns to Kabul After
Visit to Pakistan
Office of the Spokesman to the President
10/24/2005
Arg, Kabul - H.E. Hamid Karzai, President
of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, returned to Kabul this
afternoon after a short visit to Pakistan.
The President, on behalf of the people of Afghanistan,
expressed his heartfelt sympathies and condolences to President
Musharaf, the people of Pakistan and the victims of the earthquake.
The President said, “The people of Pakistan have generously
helped the people of Afghanistan during the years of Jihad and
now we want to assist them in their time of need”.
During this visit, the President met with H.E.
Pervez Musharaf, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,
at the presidential palace and discussed the ongoing international
relief operation and the role of the Afghan relief and medical
teams and helicopters currently helping with the operation in
areas worst affected by the quake.
President Musharaf thanked President Karzai for
the assistance of the Government and the people of Afghanistan
to the victims of the earthquake. President Musharaf said, “I
appreciate the solidarity that the people of Afghanistan have
shown with our people over the past days and it demonstrates
a spirit of goodwill between our peoples.”
The President also met with H.E. Shaukat Aziz,
Prime Minister of Pakistan, at his office and discussed the
earthquake. Prime Minister Aziz thanked President Karzai for
the assistance of the Afghan relief and medical teams and said
that the Afghan helicopters have proven to be effective in the
search, rescue and relief operations.
At the end of the meeting, President Karzai and
Prime Minister Aziz gave a joint press conference and stressed
the need for strengthening friendly relations between the two
countries.
The President was accompanied on this visit by
H.E. Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Foreign Minister, H.E. General Abdul
Rahim Wardak, Defense Minister, H.E. Dr. Zalmay Rasul, National
Security Advisor, H.E. Dr. Sayed Muhammad Amin Fatimi, Health
Minister, H.E. Muhammad Ismail Khan, Minister of Energy and
Mrs. Fatema Gillani, Head the Afghan Red Crescent Society.
The President was also accompanied on this visit
by a medical team from the Ministry of Health, which included
14 doctors and 16 medical staff, destined for areas worst affected
by the earthquake. During this visit, the Government of Afghanistan
donated an extra 5 tons of medicine and equipment to the victims
of the earthquake.
For further information, please contact:
Khaleeq Ahmad, Deputy Spokesman on International
Affairs
Tel.: 00 93 70 286 853
