ISLAMABAD, June 24: Pakistan is keen to invest in Afghanistan and is identifying areas for investment there, says Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

He was talking to Afghan Foreign Minister Dr Rangeen Dadfar Spanta, who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House here on Saturday.

Highlighting growing trade links between the two countries, he said bilateral trade had already reached the $1.5 billion mark. “We expect economic ties to expand as several new projects have been approved by the Joint Economic Commission,” he said.

Prime Minister Aziz said Pakistan was committed to supporting President Karzai’s government and was closely working with it.

“Afghanistan is the key element to the energy, trade and transportation corridor (that) Pakistan wants to establish with Central Asia. A stable Afghanistan is critical to these links,” he said.

The prime minister emphasised the need for sustained efforts to promote integration between the two countries’ economies.

He said that Pakistan was keen to enhance cooperation and coordination with Afghanistan, especially in diplomatic, economic, defence and security fields.

Agreeing that regular contacts would strengthen bilateral ties, Mr Spanta said Afghanistan was equally keen to improve relations with Pakistan.

Online adds: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that Pakistan will not allow anyone to use its soil for terrorist activities in Afghanistan and Afghanistan should also take similar measures.

Mr Aziz highlighted Pakistan’s role in curbing terrorism and said it had deployed 80,000 troops on the Pakistan-Afghan border.

However, there was a need to allay misconceptions through the use diplomatic channels and intelligence links between the two countries, he said.

The Afghan foreign minister said that Pakistan should provide corridor for importing goods from India and other countries.