| Translate This News In |
|---|
According to official Russian media, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Russia on February 23-24, marking the first visit by a Pakistani premier to Moscow in 23 years.
According to the state-run TASS news agency, Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged that preparations for Prime Minister Khan’s visit are underway.
“The visit will take place on February 23-24,” it said, citing a diplomatic source. Pakistan and Russia have yet to make an official announcement about Khan’s visit.
According to Pakistani reports, Khan is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Pakistan and Russia are likely to reach important agreements during the visit, including a step ahead on Russian investment in a USD 2 billion gas pipeline, according to Pakistani media last week.
A Russian delegation recently visited Pakistan to discuss toll-free procedures and tax incentives for the Pakistan Gas Stream Project. During Khan’s visit, the Pakistani leadership hopes to clinch a commercial pact with Russia.
The gas pipeline from Kazakhstan is another project that is likely to be on the table. Khan will be the first Pakistani prime minister to visit Russia in 23 years, following former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Moscow after the Cold War ended.
In recent years, Pakistan’s ties with Russia have progressed beyond the fierce Cold War conflicts, and the thawing of relations between Pakistan and the United States has pushed the country even further toward Russia and China.
After a nearly nine-year absence, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov paid a visit to Islamabad in April of last year. On behalf of President Putin, he communicated to Pakistani officials a message that Moscow was eager to assist Islamabad in any way necessary.
