ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain will travel to Kabul on Thursday to participate in the Nauroz festival.

The president has been invited by his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai to the ceremony which will also be attended by other regional leaders from Central and West Asia.

President Hussain will be accompanied by Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, amid growing anger in Kabul over a recent attack on a hotel in the Afghan capital.

Nine people, including children, foreigners and a journalist, were killed.

Afghan intelligence agency the National Directorate of Security in astatement accused Pakistani agencies of masterminding the attack though it was claimed by the Afghan Taliban.

The Foreign Office had denied the charge, terming it unfortunate.

Meanwhile, the FO said the president, on the sidelines of his visit, would interact with other participating leaders.

`Bilateral matters and regional issues of peace, security, trade and economic cooperation are expected to figure [in talks],` the FO said.

It further said that the president`s visit was part of efforts to improve bilateral relations with Afghanistan in all dimensions and support efforts for durable peace, stability and prosperity in the region.