ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf Friday said that his visit to Afghanistan was truly successful as it provided an opportunity to reiterate Pakistan's unequivocal support for the political peace and reconciliation process which was Afghan-led and Afghan-owned.

Talking to Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, PML-Q chief, and Deputy Prime Minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, at PM's House, the prime minister said that the Afghan political leaders had immense good will for Pakistan and its people and considered them their great well wisher. He said that he had invited them to visit Pakistan to meet the political leaders of Pakistan, and all of them accepted his invitation.

Earlier, PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Ch Pervaiz Elahi congratulated him and PPP on the electoral victory of the PPP candidate in bye-elections of Multan. "The victory amply reflects the expression of trust of the people in the leadership of the party and the incumbent democratic coalition government," the PML-Q chief added.

He said that it was a matter of satisfaction and all were happy that the elections in Multan were fair and free by any standard. He said that the new chief election commissioner was a man of integrity and his selection for top job in the Election Commission through consensus would pave the way for free, fair and impartial elections in the country.

Chaudhry Shujaat expressed his satisfaction over the successful visit of the PM to Afghanistan, adding that the outcomes of bilateral and trilateral talks between Pakistan, Afghanistan and UK were truly heart warming for the people of three countries.

He said that his meeting with the political leadership of Afghanistan was substantive and productive because it provided an opportunity to dispel the mutual misperceptions, which could have deepened without the direct engagement. (Monitoring Desk)