<p> Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday invited Singh to visit Kabul at an early date. The PM accepted the invitation and the dates are to be finalised over the next few weeks. <br /><br />During his visit to Kabul, Singh may also address a joint session of the Wolesi Jirga and Meshrano Jirga, the lower and upper Houses of the Afghan Parliament. The Prime Minister’s visit is apparently intended to send a strong message to Pakistan, which has been pursuing an aggressive diplomatic campaign to limit India’s role in reconstruction of Afghanistan. Singh had last visited Afghanistan in August 2005. <br /><br />The last King of Afghanistan Zahir Shah had laid the foundation stone of the new building of the Afghan Parliament in Kabul in the presence of Singh on August 29, 2005. <br /><br />The Indian Government is constructing the new parliament building as a mark of New Delhi’s commitment to democracy in Afghanistan. Though the construction is scheduled to be completed this year, it is not clear if Singh will formally dedicate the new building to Afghan people during his upcoming visit to Kabul.<br /><br />Karzai, who was on a two-day-visit to New Delhi, met Singh at the latter’s residence here and discussed bilateral and regional issues. <br /><br />The two leaders agreed that the “strategic partnership between India and Afghanistan was a positive factor for peace and stability in the region.” <br /><br />The Prime Minister reiterated India’s “long-term commitment” to the “reconstruction and development of Afghanistan”, and to the efforts of Karzai-led Afghan Government “to build a strong, independent, democratic, peaceful and prosperous nation.”<br /><br />India has been the sixth largest contributor in reconstruction of Afghanistan and its pledged assistance to the country now stands at US $ 1.3 billion. New Delhi, however, has been reviewing its role in Afghanistan in the wake of the February 26 terrorist attack in which seven Indians were killed in Kabul.</p>
<p> Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday invited Singh to visit Kabul at an early date. The PM accepted the invitation and the dates are to be finalised over the next few weeks. <br /><br />During his visit to Kabul, Singh may also address a joint session of the Wolesi Jirga and Meshrano Jirga, the lower and upper Houses of the Afghan Parliament. The Prime Minister’s visit is apparently intended to send a strong message to Pakistan, which has been pursuing an aggressive diplomatic campaign to limit India’s role in reconstruction of Afghanistan. Singh had last visited Afghanistan in August 2005. <br /><br />The last King of Afghanistan Zahir Shah had laid the foundation stone of the new building of the Afghan Parliament in Kabul in the presence of Singh on August 29, 2005. <br /><br />The Indian Government is constructing the new parliament building as a mark of New Delhi’s commitment to democracy in Afghanistan. Though the construction is scheduled to be completed this year, it is not clear if Singh will formally dedicate the new building to Afghan people during his upcoming visit to Kabul.<br /><br />Karzai, who was on a two-day-visit to New Delhi, met Singh at the latter’s residence here and discussed bilateral and regional issues. <br /><br />The two leaders agreed that the “strategic partnership between India and Afghanistan was a positive factor for peace and stability in the region.” <br /><br />The Prime Minister reiterated India’s “long-term commitment” to the “reconstruction and development of Afghanistan”, and to the efforts of Karzai-led Afghan Government “to build a strong, independent, democratic, peaceful and prosperous nation.”<br /><br />India has been the sixth largest contributor in reconstruction of Afghanistan and its pledged assistance to the country now stands at US $ 1.3 billion. New Delhi, however, has been reviewing its role in Afghanistan in the wake of the February 26 terrorist attack in which seven Indians were killed in Kabul.</p>
