May 19, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1429

SHARM-EL-SHEIKH, May 18: Afghan President Hamid Karzai said here on Sunday he was confident that the newly elected Pakistan government would put up a joint fight against terrorists and extremists in the region.

Mr Karzai was talking to Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani during a meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.

He said that democracy in Pakistan was an asset not only for Pakistan but also for Afghanistan.

He invited the prime minister to visit Afghanistan and address the parliament. He thanked Pakistan for its help in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, particularly in the education sector.

He recalled his meeting with Ms Benazir Bhutto and said economic empowerment of women of Pakistan and Afghanistan would be a real tribute to Ms Bhutto who had always fought for the rights of women.

Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan had a vital stake in Afghanistan emerging as a strong and stable neighbour to ensure peace and security not only in Afghanistan but also in the entire region.

He said that Pakistan, as a neighbour and a brotherly Islamic country of Afghanistan, was committed to promoting peace in Afghanistan through increased cooperation and coordination including diplomatic, political, economic, defence and security fields.

Mr Gilani said Pakistan would continue to extend all possible assistance to the brotherly people of Afghanistan as the two countries had common faith, history, geography, culture and heritage.

He said the world needed to do more to speed up the ongoing process of socio-economic development in Afghanistan by addressing the root causes of terrorism at economic, political and social fronts.

He said Pakistan would participate in the forthcoming Paris conference on Afghanistan scheduled to be held on June 12 and also called for an early convening of the third regional economic cooperation conference.

He said that Pakistan like Afghanistan was a victim of terrorism and both countries had a common objective of fighting terrorism.

Mr Gilani said that there was an urgent need for the world community to take steps for elimination of drugs and poppy cultivation which funded terrorism.