Islamabad, Jan 10: Pakistan's premier will travel to Afghanistan next week for talks with the Afghan President, a senior official said today. During a two-day visit starting Monday, Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali will meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai as well as other senior officials, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

He gave no other details, saying ``This is an important visit, which is taking place on President Karzai's invitation.''

Ties between the two nations have been strained in recent months following Afghan allegations that Pakistani troops had crossed the border into Afghanistan, a charge Pakistan denies. Pakistan was a key backer of Afghanistan's former ruling Taliban. After the September 11 attacks in the United States, it withdrew its support and became an ally of the United States.

Afghan authorities in recent months have also called on Pakistan to do more to stop insurgents from sneaking into Afghanistan.

Pakistan has deployed thousands of troops along the mountainous afghan border and says it is doing whatever is possible to prevent Taliban and al-Qaeda fugitives from crossing the frontier.

Both sides have said recently they want to ensure better coordination and cooperation in guarding the border area. Bureau Report