Prime Minister Imran Khan, who’s on a two-day visit to Moscow, held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday during which the premier reaffirmed the significance of the Pakistan Stream gas channel as a flagship profitable design between the two countries, his office said.
The Kremlin issued a brief statement, saying that the two leaders bandied the main aspects of bilateral cooperation and changed views on current indigenous motifs, including developments in South Asia.
In a handbill, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that the two leaders held wide-ranging consultations on bilateral relations as well as indigenous and transnational issues of collective interest.
” Recalling the telephone exchanges during the recent months between the two leaders, the high minister expressed confidence that the positive line of bilateral relations will continue to move forward in the future,”the handbill issued late on Thursday said.
PM Imran expressed the stopgap that the trust and charity marking the relationship would restate into further heightening and broadening of collective cooperation in different fields.
He also reaffirmed the significance of the Pakistan Stream gas channel as a flagship profitable design between the two countries and also bandied cooperation on prospective energy related systems.
“The high minister underlined Pakistan’s commitment to (forging) a long- term,multi-dimensional relationship with Russia,”the PMO said.
During the meeting, PM Imran also underscored the need for addressing the philanthropic extremity in Afghanistan and precluding a implicit profitable meltdown in the war- torn country.
“The high minister reiterated that Pakistan would continue to work with the transnational community for a stable, peaceful and connected Afghanistan. In this regard, he underlined the ongoing cooperation and collaboration between Pakistan and Russia at colorful transnational and indigenous fora, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.”
In regard to South Asia, the high minister stressed the mortal rights violations in Indian Immorally Enthralled Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and underlined the need for a peaceful resolution of the issue.
“The high minister also stressed the developments mischievous to indigenous peace and stability and stressed the need for measures that would help keep the indigenous balance,”the statement said.
According to the PMO, PM Imran” rued”the rearmost situation between Russia and Ukraine and said that Pakistan had hoped” tactfulness could forestall a military conflict”.
“The high minister stressed that conflict wasn’t in anyone’s interest and that developing countries were always hit the hardest economically in case of conflict. He underscored Pakistan’s belief that controversies should be resolved through dialogue and tactfulness.”
The premier also expressed concern about rising unreasonableness and Islamophobia in the country and stressed the need for interfaith harmony and concurrence.
” Appreciating President Putin’s understanding of the respect and perceptivity that the Muslims attach to the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), the high minister said that interfaith harmony and respect for all persuasions was imperative for peace and harmony within and among societies,”the PMO said.
After the meeting with Putin concluded, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and Energy Minister Nikolay Shulginov called on the premier along with a delegation.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Valentinovich Novak and Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Mr. Nikolay Shulginov calls on Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI along with delegation#PMIKInRussia pic.twitter.com/aosvW2zrTV
Before moment, PM Imran laid a flowery wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Dogface in Moscow in a homage to the casualties of World War II.
‘ PM to return to Pakistan as per schedule’
Before the meeting between PM Imran and Putin, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry — who’s part of the Pakistani delegation in Moscow — verified that the premier was on his way to meet President Putin, debunking” enterprise” regarding the premier’s visit being cut short amid Ukraine-Russia pressures.
The information minister also said the premier’s” visit is pacing and that he’d return to Pakistan tonight as per schedule”.
Speculations about PM @ImranKhanPTI visit are misplaced. The Visit is proceeding and PM will return to Pakistan tonight as per schedule
Chaudhry’s explanation came after a report by Associated Press claimed that the high minister was ending his Moscow trip.
According to Dawn News pressman Adil Shahzeb, who’s presently in Moscow, the PM’s” important meeting”with Putin was extended to three hours, which was before listed for an hour.
Both Russian and Pakistani officials have denied reports that Khan has ended the visit. “There is no cancellation of visit, PM Khan will be meeting President Putin as per schedule.” Khan’s planned interaction with the media has been cancelled. #PMIKInRussia #Russia #Ukraine
PM Imran arrived in Moscow history on a two- day sanctioned visit, where he was saluted by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov upon his appearance. He was also presented a guard of honour.
Qureshi meets Lavrov
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow as both the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, according to a statement from the Foreign Office.
Qureshi said Pakistan attaches special significance to bilateral relations with Russia. He said relations between Pakistan and Russia have gradationally strengthened.
“Pakistan pursues profitable precedences and promotes indigenous ties in the light of PM Imran Khan’s vision,”Qureshi told his Russian counterpart.
Lavrov complimented Qureshi and Pakistani leadership on the success of the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan held in Islamabad in December last time and also expressed stylish wishes regarding the forthcoming meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad coming month.
The last Pakistani premier to visit Russia was Nawaz Sharif in March 1999, while former chairman Asif Ali Zardari came to Moscow in 2011.
PM Imran’s visit is viewed by numerous in and outside Pakistan with important expectation though the Pakistan government terms it a prelude to lesser relationship in strategic, energy and indigenous connectivity.
The timing of the visit has been bandied threadbare but top Pakistani government officers name it one of the rarest openings for the energy-starved country to make advance in energy, indigenous connectivity and part in Afghanistan post US pullout.
National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf, still, had rejected the notion about the timing of the visit. “ Yes there’s a global pressure but our visit is of bilateral nature and the analogous path was taken in the visit to China where frugality, profitable pointers and connectivity was at the heart of that stint,” he’d said.
