ISLAMABAD, Dec 22: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has extended warm felicitations to Hamid Karzai, chairman of the interim administration of Afghanistan, on assuming his duties.

Pakistan looks forward to working with the Afghan administration for strengthening cooperation between the two countries that are neighbours, friends and brothers, a Foreign Office statement, issued here on Saturday, said.

Pakistan, the statement added, would reopen its embassy and consulates in Afghanistan as soon as administrative arrangements were finalized through mutual consultation.

It termed the transfer of power to the interim administration a welcome augury for the beginning of a new era of national reconciliation and peace in the country and the first step in the implementation of the Bonn Agreement.—APP