ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Italy’s deputy foreign minister, Margherita Boniver, will visit Pakistan on a goodwill mission next week.

Foreign Office sources said Madame Boniver would arrive here on Wednesday after her brief visit to Afghanistan this week. She will leave Islamabad the following day.

During her short stay in the capital, Madame Boniver will hold talks with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Inamul Haq and Foreign Secretary, Riaz Khokhar.

Officials said her meeting with the president was unlikely.

Madame Boniver has visited Pakistan previously. She was among the scores of foreign dignitaries who visited Islamabad after Sept 11 when Pakistan joined the US-led coalition against terrorism.

Sources said the issue of the detained Pakistani nationals in Italy was likely to figure in talks between the two sides.

“This matter will most probably come up during discussions with the Italian official,” a foreign affairs official told said.

Fifteen Pakistani nationals were arrested by Italian authorities in Sicily on 9th. They are accused of entering Italy illegally and having links with Al Qaeda, a charge rejected by them. Islamabad had conveyed its concern to the Italian government after it denied consular access to the detained Pakistanis. Italian government, however, granted Pakistan embassy staff access to the detainees last week.