Tuesday, March 22 2005 22:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Pakistan and Afghanistan today (Mar 22, 2005) reached an agreement to run two bus services connecting the cities of Peshawar and Quetta with the war-torn neighbouring nation's towns of Jalalabad and Kandahar respectively, during the visit of Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Islamabad.

The two countries would run the bus services between Peshawar and Jalalabad as well as Quetta and Kandahar, officials in Islamabad said.

The agreement, reached during the two-day visit of Karzai to Pakistan, would enhance transport links enabling people from both countries to travel without any hassles, they said.

Earlier, Karzai arrived in Islamabad today to a warm welcome to "discuss bilateral and regional issues and ways and means to strengthen economic ties," the officials said.

Besides holding talks with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Karzai, who is heading a high-power delegation including his Foreign and Defence Ministers, would be the Guest of Honour at a military parade in Islamabad tomorrow to celebrate Pakistan's National Day.

Karzai was received on arrival by Pakistan's Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao and Tourism Minister Ghazi Gulab Jamal.

Apart from the agreement to run the bus services, the two countries will ink three accords on cooperation in different fields and a protocol on political consultations, the officials said.