Aziz, who is visiting Afghanistan on Karzai's invitation, would "review all aspects of bilateral relations", the ministry's spokeswoman, Tasnim Aslam, told a briefing yesterday.

"We attach great importance to our relationship and interaction with Afghanistan. These contacts are helpful in addressing challenges that our two countries face," Aslam said.

The visit comes amid tensions between the two key allies in the US-led "war against terrorism", following accusations from Afghanistan that Pakistan was not doing enough to crackdown on Taliban militants crossing from its side of the border.

Pakistan last month announced that it had tasked its army to work out the logistical details for fencing and mining parts of the rugged 2,500-kilometre (1,500-mile) frontier.

The decision is likely to figure in Aziz's meeting with Karzai, who has said he would use "every method" to stop mines being planted on the border.

Pakistan is among some 40 countries who are not signatories to a 1997 treaty against the use of mines.

As Taliban-linked unrest soared in Afghanistan in 2006, Karzai last month publicly accused Islamabad for the first time of backing the Islamists, adding that Pakistan wanted to turn Afghans into "slaves".

Islamabad has denied the allegations, which have soured relations between the neighbours. Pakistan said it had deployed 80,000 troops along the border to hunt down Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants.

Some 4,000 people -- including 1,000 civilians, but mostly rebels -- died last year in insurgency-related unrest, making 2006 Afghanistan's bloodiest year since the fall of the Taliban five years ago.