Trade, industry and energy: Pakistan, Russia agree to pursue robust dialogue

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Prime Minister of Russian Federation, Mikhail Mishustin on Wednesday agreed to pursue robust dialogue and cooperation in areas of trade, industry, energy, connectivity, science, technology and education.

During a meeting at the Prime Minister’s House on the margins of the 23rd SCO CHG meeting, both prime ministers discussed the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation and noted the positive momentum in Pakistan-Russia relations over the last two decades, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.

Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening political, economic, and defense ties with the Russian Federation.

PM Shehbaz says Pakistan keen to expand trade, security cooperation with Russia

Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation at multilateral forums, including the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

He also thanked Russia for supporting Pakistan’s BRICS membership bid, marking a step toward deeper collaboration on the global stage.

He also emphasised on the need of direct flights between Russia and Pakistan for enhanced connectivity between the two countries.

The Russian prime minister expressed his desire to further bolster the existing cooperation between Russia and Pakistan to next level.

Both leaders also agreed on lingual exchanges among the two countries to enhance people-to-people relations and an increased cooperation among the banking sectors of the two countries to facilitate trade and investment.

Relatedly, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan held a meeting with Iranian Minister for Industry, Mining, and Trade, Mohammad Atabak.

The ministers discussed the potential for Pakistan and Iran to cooperate more closely in the regional market and beyond, leveraging the SCO platform to facilitate trade growth and regional stability.

Both sides expressed their commitment to continuing discussions and developing action plans to overcome existing trade barriers and streamline regulations to facilitate smoother business interactions between the two countries.

The meeting underscores the importance of regional cooperation through platforms like SCO, as both Pakistan and Iran look to strengthen ties and enhance their roles in the global market. The Iranian minister also invited his counterpart for a visit to Iran.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024