Nawaz, Ghani hold hour-long unscheduled meeting in Astana

ASTANA: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani held an unscheduled meeting on Friday on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Astana. 

Sources said the two heads of state did not have a meeting scheduled but one was squeezed in on Ghani's insistence. 

The meeting — which lasted for around an hour — was held at the suite of the Afghan president in the Ramada hotel, where the premier is also residing. 

The prime minister's adviser on foreign affairs, Sartaz Aziz, also attended the meeting. 

Sources revealed that issues related to terrorism, border fencing and regional security were discussed between Ghani and Sharif. 

Earlier on Friday, the premier held a meeting with the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres. 

During his 45-minute meeting with the UN chief, issues related to Pakistan’s role in the war on terrorism and the ongoing diplomatic crisis in the Gulf region. The UN chief also congratulated Pakistan on attaining permanent membership of the SCO, and hoped the move will bring more prosperity to the region.

The premier is on a two-day visit to Kazakhstan and, along with other heads of states, is residing at the Ramda hotel. 

Pakistan and India will both be made permanent members of the SCO today.

With the inclusion of Pakistan and India, the SCO will have a total of eight states as permanent members — after China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Other observer states and governments and international organisations are also part of the group.

The group will then represent nearly half of the world’s population after the inclusion of the subcontinental neighbours.

On Thursday, the prime minister held separate meetings with the presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

He also reportedly exchanged pleasantries with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

However, a bilateral meeting between the two is not part of the schedule of both prime ministers.

Nawaz, Putin discuss bilateral ties

Prime Minister also held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit.

Matters pertaining to bilateral interest particularly cooperation in diverse fields came under discussion during the meeting.

Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir were also present at the meeting.