Afghanistan’s former prime minister and Hizb-e-Islami chief Engineer Gulbuddin Hekmatyar is set to arrive in Islamabad on Monday on a three-day visit on the government invitation, official and Hizb-e-Islami sources said on Saturday.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had extended an invitation to Hekmatyar as part of Pakistan’s policy of engagement with Afghan leaders, an official source told Daily Times. He said Pakistan has planned to invite other Afghan leaders to discuss with them Pakistan’s cooperation in the peace process and bilateral relations.
Hekmatyar is scheduled to meet President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjarani and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Siraj ul Haq during his visit. He will also speak at the Institute of Policy Studies in Islamabad.
The Hizb-e-Islami leader will be accompanied by several party leaders including Abdul Satar Khawasi, General Secretary, Dr Ghairat Baheer, Chairman political affairs, Ameen Karim, in-charge foreign relations, Hafizurahman Naqi, Chairman Ulema committee, Abdul Jalil Arghandabi, Chairman Security Affairs, Ahmadzi, Chairmen Kochian Committee and Habib ur Rehman, Hekmatyar’s son.
This is Hekmatyar’s second visit to Pakistan in nearly 17 months. He last visited the country in May to attend a conference of Afghan leaders in Bhurban in May, 2019. Hekmatyar, who was one of the top Mujahideen leaders during resistance against the erstwhile Soviet Union in 80s, struck a peace deal with the first government of President Ashraf Ghani in September 2016 and he returned to Kabul in May 2017 after nearly 20 years. His party was also involved in armed resistance against the US and NATO allies for years.
In May 2002, the American’s Central Intelligence Agency fired a missile from a Predator drone carrying Hellfire antitank missiles to kill Hekmatyar outside of Kabul. However, he had survived the attack.
