ISLAMABAD: Peace in Afghanistan was critical for peace and security in Pakistan, asserted Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Pakistan had always supported Afghan President Hamid Karzai's peace efforts and would continue to favour an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process of reconciliation, Associated Press of

Pakistan quoted Gilani as saying.

In a meeting with a delegation of Afghan senators led by Fazal-e-Hadi Muslimyar here, the prime minister said exchange visits of parliamentarians were essential to enhance bilateral relations and Pakistan had always made consistent and sincere efforts to improve relations with Afghanistan.

He said Pakistan had extended full cooperation to the Afghan team that visited Islamabad with regard to the investigation of assassination of Burhanuddin Rabbani.