Pak-Russia partnership to promote South-Asian peace, stability

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain on Wednesday said, strong bilateral trade and economic ties between Pakistan and Russia would help to promote peace and stability in South Asia.

The minister is currently visiting Moscow and extended his felicitations to the Russian President Vladimir Putin on his resounding victory in the elections, said a press releases received here. He along with senior officials of Ministry of Science and Technology of Russian Federation and other Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member States presented congratulations to the Russian head of state.

Rana Tanveer said that friendly relations with Russia remain a high priority for the foreign policy of Pakistan and urged that there was a consensus in Pakistan on the need to further strengthen and diversify relations with Russia.

Meanwhile, in another meeting with Russian Minister for Education & Science Olga Yuryevna, Federal Rana Tanveer said that Pakistan wants to forge a long term and broad based partnership with Russia, especially in the field of trade, energy, defence, security, peaceful use of energy, culture & education.

He recalled that first ever meeting of the Chairman State Duma to Pakistan in December 2017 was a milestone in Pak-Russian ties.

He also thanked the Russian counterparts for offering 16 educational scholarships to Pakistani students. Federal Minister further elaborated to explore the possibility of establishing joint Study Programmes in numerous universities of Pakistan.

Rana Tanveer, proposed Russian Minister for Education & Science, Olga Yuryevba to establish Pakistan-Russia Centre for Science and Technology Cooperation in Pakistan. He also proposed to establish a common fund of SCO for development of Science and Technology to support those countries that lag in the fields of Science and Technology.