Islamabad: President Hamid Karzai on Thursday sought Pakistan`s backing for the reconciliation process in Afghanistan, saying its support was "critical" for the success of any Afghan-led peace process in his war-ravaged country.

Karzai, who arrived in Islamabad this morning on a two-day visit for bilateral talks and to attend a trilateral summit of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, discussed the troubled peace process in his country with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
He described "Pakistan`s support as critical to the success of the Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process and the reconciliation" in Afghanistan, a statement issued by the Prime Minister`s Office (PMO) said.
Karzai informed the Pakistani side of "several initiatives" currently underway to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan.
The two sides agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation to overcome the "common challenges of terrorism and extremism" and expressed their resolve to work for the stability and peace of both countries, the statement said.
Karzai said, "Pakistan and Afghanistan were twin brothers and, therefore, should cooperate in the same spirit for the cause of peace and stability in both countries."
Gilani said Pakistan supported any peace process in Afghanistan which was Afghan-led and Afghan-owned because the peace, prosperity and independence of Afghanistan were in the best national interest of Pakistan.
The statement said the talks were held in a cordial atmosphere.
Both sides reviewed current developments in and around the region related to peace and stability and discussed bilateral cooperation in trade and commerce, infrastructure development, regional transit trade and cross-border movement. Pakistan recently launched a fresh initiative to improve ties with Afghanistan, which were affected following the assassination of Afghan High Peace Council chief Burhanuddin Rabbani last year.
Afghan officials had blamed the assassination on elements based in Pakistan.
During the meeting with Karzai, Gilani said Pakistan will continue to extend full cooperation to the Afghan government in the investigation into Rabbani`s assassination.
Karzai expressed his "deep sense of gratitude" for this assistance.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar visited Kabul earlier this month in a bid to revive cooperation in efforts to engage the Afghan Taliban.
Islamabad is keen to re-engage Kabul for the Afghan peace process to counter what it perceives as India`s growing influence in Afghanistan. This is Karzai`s second visit to Pakistan in eight months. He last visited Islamabad in June, weeks after US Special Forces killed Osama bin Laden in a covert operation in the garrison town of Abbottabad.
Karzai is accompanied by members of his Core Policy Group, including Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul, National Security Advisor Rangin Dadfar Spanta and his Chief of Staff.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to arrive later in the day for the summit hosted by President Asif Ali Zardari.
During the trilateral summit, the three Presidents will have two sessions, one this evening and another tomorrow. A joint communique will be issued at the conclusion of the summit, which will also discuss economic issues. Pakistan`s Minister for States and Frontier Regions, Engineer Shaukatullah, senior officials and Afghan diplomats received President Karzai on his arrival at a military airbase.
Shortly after his arrival, he held one-on-one and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Gilani.
Karzai will also meet Zardari for bilateral talks. The Pakistani team during the delegation-level talks between Karzai and Gilani included army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Inter-Services Intelligence chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Foreign Minister Khar and Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
PTI