ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani foreign office said on Monday a bilateral summit would be the “highlight” of an upcoming visit this week to Russia by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Khan will be in Moscow on February 23-24 on the invitation of President Vladimir Putin.
“The Prime Minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including members of the cabinet.” the foreign office said. “The bilateral summit will be the highlight of the visit.”
“During the Summit meeting, the two leaders will review the entire array of bilateral relations including energy cooperation,” the statement said. “They will also have wide-ranging exchange of views on major regional and international issues, including Islamophobia and situation in Afghanistan.”
Khan will be the first Pakistani prime minister to visit Russia in 23 years. Nawaz Sharif was the last Pakistani prime minister to visit Moscow in 1999.
Khan’s upcoming visit holds special importance as Pakistan and Russia developed a bitter rivalry during the Cold War, after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Pakistan supported the United States during that period and assisted Afghan resistance factions with their guerrilla warfare.
The two sides have tried to broaden and deepen their relations in recent years, with Russia lifting a decades old arms embargo in 2014.
Pakistan’s increased diplomatic engagements with Russia are also said to be part of its quest to diversify its foreign policy.
Last year, the two countries formally signed an amended inter-governmental agreement for a flagship pipeline project due to be carried out by Russia which would join Pakistan’s Punjab province with the Karachi port city.
The project was earlier known as the North-South Pipeline, though it is now called the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline Project which will deliver imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Pakistan’s coastal regions to industrial areas in Punjab.
The initiative has remained on hold since 2015 due to disagreements over fees and United States’ sanctions against the Russian state conglomerate Rostec.
In September 2021, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Pakistan and held wide-ranging talks that covered bilateral relations and regional and global issues.