Russian minister says Putin sees Pakistan as key partner in regional growth

A high-powered delegation led by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Syed Tariq Fatemi, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, called on Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk in Moscow on Thursday.

At the outset, Ambassador Fatemi conveyed greetings and good wishes of Pakistan’s leadership to Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Overchuk and to the Russian leadership, according to the Foreign Office.

The SAPM stressed that goodwill at the leadership level was ensuring positive momentum in bilateral ties between the two countries. The two sides also reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations in all areas of mutual interest, including political, trade and economic cooperation, as well as energy, connectivity, industrial and agricultural cooperation.  

Furthermore, SAPM Fatemi underlined that Pakistan attached high importance to its relations with the Russian Federation, adding that strengthening relations with the latter was one of Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities.

He affirmed that Pakistan viewed Russia as a stabilizing factor in the international arena. 

Furthermore, during the discussion, SAPM Haroon Akhtar conveyed that Pakistan attached high importance to ongoing discussions on the new Steel Mills in Karachi, as the project carried an important legacy of Pakistan’s relations with Russia, that could serve as a “leap forward” symbol of future cooperation and partnership.

The SAPM gave an overview of the investment-friendly industrial policy of Pakistan, that had ensured macro-economic stability, achieved under the present Government. 

During the meeting, DPM Overchuk who was assisted by key Ministers, recalled his visit to Pakistan in September 2024 and his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on the sidelines of the SCO-Heads of Government in Islamabad in October 2024.

Characterizing Pakistan and Russia as “natural allies”, he stressed that President Putin considered Pakistan as an important partner in the growth and development of economy and energy in the region. He also highlighted the significance of important connectivity projects between two countries, such as the railway connectivity between Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Russia, and the launching of pilot cargo train between Pakistan and Russia in August 2025.

The two sides also touched upon 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 at all multilateral forums.

"The visit of the two SAPMs was deeply appreciated by the Deputy Prime Minister, who emphasized that President Putin was strongly in favor of further deepening of cooperation with Pakistan in all important sectors," said the FO. 

"The Deputy Prime Minister also shared that President Putin was greatly looking forward to his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the forthcoming SCO-Council of Heads of State in Tianjin, China, in late August this year."