The top brass of the Himachal Pradesh administration will accord a warm welcome to Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai when he arrives in Shimla on Thursday.

Indian envoy to Afghanistan Vivek Katju will accompany Karzai.

Governor Suraj Bhan, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Vice Chancellor of the Himachal Pradesh University, S D Sharma, will receive the Afghan president at the Annadeal helipad at 1230 IST.

He will then drive to the Raj Bhavan where he will stay till 0900 IST, Saturday, before leaving for New Delhi.

"He will be the first international dignitary to visit the state after I have become chief minister," Virbhadra Singh, who was sworn in on Thursday, told rediff.com

Suraj Bhan, in his capacity as chancellor of the university, will confer the doctorate of literature [D Litt] upon Karzai at a function in the Raj Bhavan at 1630 IST.

Karzai will be the second international dignitary to receive this honour. Last year, the university conferred the D Litt on Japanese human rights activist Daisaku Ikeda.