Pakistan, Russia promises to strengthen ties in key sectors

Islamabad:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin held an important meeting on Tuesday in Beijing ahead of upcoming events in China. The two leaders promised to strengthen bilateral relations across trade, energy and regional connection.

Shehbaz praised Putin’s role in promoting closer connections and said: “The relationship between the two countries has improved in recent years on the basis of mutual interests.”

The Prime Minister specifically mentioned that after their previous meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, both sides agreed to improve the delegations of the delegations. The two countries also signed new protocols in key sectors, including agriculture, iron, steel, energy and transport. ”

Shehbaz highlighted the importance of a proposed trading corridor connecting Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, saying it would increase regional prosperity. He added, “Pakistan respects Russian Federation’s ties with India, but we also want to build very strong connections.”

It can be mentioned that Pakistan imported Russian oil last year, which remarkably increased the bilateral trading volumes. Shehbaz expressed confidence that commercial links would continue to expand.

“Together, both countries would make further efforts to promote bilateral ties and cooperation, especially in trade and trade,” he said.

Putin said Moscow appreciated his long -standing partnership with Islamabad. “Pakistan has always been our traditional partner in Asia, and we cherish these ties,” he said.

The Russian president also expanded compassion for life lost in recent natural disasters in Pakistan, expressing optimism that the country would overcome challenges.

Leaders discussed cooperation at the middle parliamentary level and within the United Nations where Pakistan is a non-permanent security councilor.

Putin invited Shehbaz to attend the SCO Heads summit in Russia in November, as the prime minister replied and said, “He is looking forward to the visit.”

Earlier, during a meeting in the large hall of the people of Beijing, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping confirmed their commitment to the China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC) and agreed to promote his next phase through five new corridors aimed at expanding cooperation in central economic sectors.

The two leaders emphasized that the Pakistan-China partnership was unique and unmatched and agreed that this bond should be reflected through improved cooperation across several areas.

Prime Minister Shehbaz confirmed the desire to continue working closely with China for the successful implementation of the next phase of upgraded CPEC, which called the project a flagship of President Xis Belt and Vej initiative (BRI).

Shehbaz valued China’s unreasonable support for Pakistan’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and socio-economic development and said CPEC would help both nations to build an even stronger Pakistan China community with a shared future.

President XI assured the prime minister that China would continue to help Pakistan in all areas of economic growth and development, especially as the second phase of CPEC is underway.

PM Shehbaz reached Tianjin on Saturday to attend the SCO Council for State Surfaces (CHS) Summit, which held from August 31 to September 1st.

A day earlier, the Shearif Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) emphasized at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) summit in China and called for “dialogue, diplomacy and consultation” instead of confrontation on all excellent disputes.

Apart from Pakistan, SCO consists of China, India, Russia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Tadsjikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. Another 16 countries are affiliated with the organization as observers or “dialogue partners”.

“We respect all international and bilateral treaties and expect similar principles to be followed by all SCO members,” said Shehbaz, who the summit concluded and referred to India’s unilateral relocation to team IWT in Areyance in April.

Read: XI suggests the Global Governance Initiative as the SCO summit starts

“Uninterrupted access to a proper proportion of water according to existing treaties among SCO members will strengthen SCO and will support the achievement of wider goals for which SCO was established,” he emphasized. “We are looking for normal and stable connections with all our neighbors, guided by dialogue and diplomacy, consultation on confrontation.”