Islamabad:
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk has stated that Pakistan and Russia are “natural allies” and that President Putin considers Pakistan an important partner in the growth and development of economy and energy in the region.
Overchuk expressed these views on Thursday at a meeting with a high -powered Pakistani delegation led by special assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on foreign affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi in Moscow.
SAPM on industries and production Haroon Akhtar Khan – who is also the focal person for the Pakistan Steel Mills project – was also part of the delegation.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the full range of bilateral connections in all areas of mutual interest, including political, trade and economic cooperation as well as energy, connection, industrial and agricultural cooperation.
According to a statement from the Foreign Office, Pakistan and Russia agreed to continue mutual cooperation in various areas, including political, trade and economic as well as energy sector.
SAPM Fatemi emphasized that Pakistan has paid great attention to its relations with the Russian Federation, adding that strengthening the relations with the latter was one of Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities. He confirmed that Pakistan regarded Russia as a stabilizing factor in the international arena.
“President Putin looked forward to his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the upcoming SCO council from Tianjin, China, at the end of August this year,” Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said during the meeting.
SAPM Akhtar stated that Pakistan has paid great attention to ongoing discussions about the new steel factories in Karachi, as the project bears an important legacy from Pakistan’s connections with Russia, which could serve as a “jump forward” symbol of future collaboration and partnership.
In 1956, Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Bulganin offered technical and scientific assistance to Pakistan when Prime Minister Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and expressed interest in establishing the country’s first steel factory.
SAPM gave an overview of the investment -friendly industrial policy in Pakistan, which had secured macroeconomic stability, obtained under the current government.
During the meeting, DPM Overchuk, who was helped by key ministers, remembered his visit to Pakistan in September 2024 and his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the SCO leader by the Government of Islamabad in October 2024.
He also highlighted the importance of important connecting projects between two countries, such as the railway control between Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Russia, and the launch of Pilot Loading Between Pakistan and Russia in August 2025.
The two sides also affected regional and international issues, such as the situation in South Asia, Afghanistan and the Middle East, as well as the bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Russia on all multilateral forums.
The visit of the two SAPMs was deeply appreciated by Overchuk, who emphasized that President Putin was strongly for further elaboration of cooperation with Pakistan in all important sectors. App (with input from News Desk)
