ISLAMABAD, Feb 5: The government of Pakistan has decided to run free eye camps in Afghanistan's four major cities starting later this month.

An advance team has already left for Afghanistan to work out the logistics and make the necessary arrangements, it is learnt.

The eye camps would be set up in Jalalabad, Kabul, Kandahar and Mazar-i-Sharif on rotation basis, sources told Dawn on Thursday. The duration of each camp would be 10 days, they added.

"The first camp will be launched in Jalalabad from Feb 19 to 28," well placed diplomatic sources said.

At these camps free treatment and medicines will be offered to eye patients.

The proposal for eye camps was floated by the government about a couple months back and it subsequently got the green light from the Afghan government.

Health is given high priority in Pakistan's reconstruction and development programme for Afghanistan, where people suffer from various ailments and eye problems are very common, a senior diplomat told Dawn.

Meanwhile, plans are also under way for building a hospital in Kabul. A budget of Rs40 million has already been approved by the government for the hospital.

The land for the hospital has been provided by the Afghan government. Reportedly, it is next to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in the Afghan capital.

About a month back Pakistan gifted 45 ambulances to the Afghan government.

Afghanistan remains a high priority country for Islamabad and it is keen to maintain friendly relations with Kabul. Pakistan has actively participated in the process of peace, security, reconstruction and elections in Afghanistan. As a neighbouring country it is mindful that a stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan's own interest.-QA