ISLAMABAD, Nov. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf Saturday left for Afghan capital Kabul on a briefvisit to greet Hamid Karzai on his election as President of Afghanistan, an official statement said.

    President Musharraf is the first world leader to visit Kabul togreet Karzai, who was officially declared Thursday successful in the landmark first direct Presidential elections in Afghanistan, the statement said.

    "During his stay in the Afghan capital the president would felicitate President Hamid Karzai on his election as President of Afghanistan," said the statement issued by Information Ministry here Saturday.

    He will also hold talks with the Afghan President. Bilateral relations including trade and economic ties between the two countries, Pakistan's role in the restructuring of Afghanistan andregional matters are expected to be the focus of the talks betweenthe two leaders, the statement said.

    Governor of Pakistan's Northwest Frontier province and Balochistan province, Foreign Minister, Interior Minister, Minister of Tourism and Deputy Chairman of the Senate are accompanying Musharraf on the visit.

    Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed believed that the visit will further cement bilateral ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

    It is the second visit to Kabul by President Musharraf since Karzai took over office in late 2001. He first made a brief but highly symbolic goodwill visit to Afghanistan on April 2, 2002. Enditem