Pak-Russia partnership strengthening positively

F.P. Report

Islamabad: “Pakistan and Russia have made tremendous, substantive strides in their partnership since 2013. Defense cooperation has been the vanguard of this new chapter in Pak-Russia relationship, but will soon be matched by vast energy-sector cooperation.” Says a press release received here today From Moscow.

This was stated by Minister for Defence Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan while concluding the 5th Pak-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) in Moscow as Pakistan co-Chair with his Russian counterpart, Minister for Trade and Industry Denis V. Manturov.

The Pakistani and Russian Ministers signed the formal protocol after a plenary session of the IGC that concluded three days of multi-faceted dialogue and negotiations between the Pakistan and Russian contingents.

Speaking to the media after the signing ceremony, the Pakistan co-Chair announced that both sides have accelerated ongoing negotiations on numerous energy sector investments by Russia into Pakistan.

“We have also added important new subjects such as trade liberalization to the IGC, and held the first meeting of Pak-Russia Joint Working Group on Trade. Other subjects of the dialogue were mutual recognition of standards, increasing Pak students in Russia, banking and customs cooperation, and visa facilitation,” said Minister Khan.

Khurram Dastgir Khan was appointed recently by the Prime Minster to co-Chair the Pak-Russia IGC. He led a 22-member delegation consisting of Secretaries of Economic Affairs, Energy, and Textile Industry as well as senior officials from Ministries of Petroleum, Foreign Affairs, and Commerce. Minister Manturov led a 50-member delegation of Russian officials.