Ghani congratulates Pakistan’s Khan on election win

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani spoke with Pakistan’s former cricket hero Imran Khan over the phone and congratulated him over election victory.

“We both agreed to overcome the past and to lay a new foundation for a prosperous political, social and economic future of both countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Ghani said in a statement.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which emerged as the single largest party but fell short of simple majority in the National Assembly, will have to seek formal support from smaller parties or independents to form the next government.

Ghani also invited Khan to visit Kabul, the statement added.

Earlier, the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan, Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, congratulated Khan on securing most seats in the parliament.

In a statement, Zahilwal called for Khan's constructive role towards peace, stability in Afghanistan and support for the hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees in Pakistan.