Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif officially welcomed visiting President Hassan Rouhani in the prime ministerial palace on Friday afternoon.

Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif officially welcomed visiting President Hassan Rouhani in the prime ministerial palace on Friday afternoon.

President Hassan Rouhani arrived in Islamabad at the head of a top-ranking delegation hours earlier.

Upon his arrival, the president was also accorded warm welcome by Nawaz Sharif.

In the welcoming ceremony, the national anthems of the two countries were played and Rouhani and Nawaz Sharif visited the guard of honor.

During Rouhani's two-day visit, Iran and Pakistan will sign several documents on bilateral cooperation.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Petroleum Minister Bijan Zangeneh, Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad-Reza Nematzadeh, Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian, Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Health Minister Hassan Qazizadeh, Director of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Valiollah Seif and Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce Mohsen Jalalpour are accompanying the president in his visit to Pakistan.

Mohammad Nahavandian, chief of staff in the presidential office, Hossein Fereidoun, a special advisor to President Rouhani, Hessameddin Ashena, an advisor to the president on cultural affairs, Ali Osat Hashemi, the governor-general of the bordering Sistan-Baluchestan province as well as a 60-member group of Iranian businesspersons and representatives of private sector are also among those accompanying the president in his Islamabad visit.

The president's trip is following a visit to Tehran by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in January.

Developing bilateral relations, especially in economic areas after the nuclear deal and the subsequent lifting of sanctions, is among the most important issues to be discussed between the two sides.