ISLAMABAD, March 16: Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi will visit Pakistan on Monday on the invitation of President Asif Ali Zardari.

Foreign Office Spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry while announcing the visit said: “President Morsi’s visit to Islamabad is being seen as a watershed and a landmark in the traditional and friendly relations between the two large and important Muslim countries.

“President Morsi’s decision to choose Pakistan as the first South Asian country for a bilateral visit manifests Egypt’s desire to add a new chapter to its bilateral ties with Pakistan.”

Mr Morsi, who will be leading a high-powered delegation, is the first civilian, democratically and freely elected president of Egypt to visit Pakistan.

The last Egyptian president to pay a bilateral visit to Pakistan was the late Gamal Abdel Nasser in the 1960s.

The engagements of the Egyptian leader would include a one-on-one meeting with President Zardari, followed by delegation-level talks and a banquet hosted by his Pakistani counterpart.

The two leaders are expected to hold extensive discussions on all areas of bilateral relations, including regional and international issues of mutual interest. They would also be signing a number of agreements.

President Morsi’s visit is expected to impart dynamism to bilateral ties and to expand, diversify and strengthen relations between the two countries in all spheres.