This will be her first visit to Pakistan as the new chairperson of the Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation).

The Bangladesh prime minister will hold official talks with her Pakistan counterpart Shaukat Aziz covering complete range of Bangladesh-Pakistan relations as well as other regional and international issues of common concern. Several agreements and MoUs aimed at further strengthening the ties between the two countries are expected to be signed following the talks.

According to the sources, Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Tasneem Aslam on Monday formally announced Khaleda Zia's upcoming visit at the weekly news briefing in Islamabad. Khaleda Zia will call on President General Pervez Musharraf during her stay, the spokesperson confirmed.

The Pakistan president would host a luncheon for Khaleda Zia while the Pakistan prime minister would host a banquet in her honour, the sources added.

Khaleda Zia is also expected to visit the earthquake relief camp in Islamabad.

The PM's official visit to Islamabad is part of regular high-level exchanges between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz visited Dhaka in November last year to attend the 13th Saarc Summit.

Foreign ministry officials said Bangladesh and Pakistan have traditionally enjoyed excellent fraternal relations based on the principles of sovereign equality and non-interference in each other's internal affairs and mutual respect.

Both the countries have convergence on regional and international issues. Bangladesh and Pakistan have worked closely on the bilateral level as well as in international forums like the OIC, Commonwealth, Nam, D-8 and Saarc.