Ambassador of Afghanistan Mohammad Umer Daudzai called on Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Tuesday and discussed matters of mutual interest including increased bilateral interaction in various fields.

They also reviewed economic cooperation for which the Bilateral Joint Economic Commission would hold its 8th session at the level of finance ministers in Islamabad in the third week of January 2012.

The Afghan Ambassador thanked the foreign minister for grant of scholarships to Afghan students.

The foreign minister urged independent, strong bilateral relations with Afghanistan as part of Pakistan's consistent policy to reach out to its neighbours.

She stressed the need to build synergies through people-to- people, civil society and parliamentary contacts.

Both sides agreed on the need for high-level visits to provide the requisite impetus to bilateral relations.