TP Report
Moscow (IPS): Preparations for Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit to Russia have entered the final stages. The Prime Minister will undertake the visit from March 2 to 5, accompanied by senior officials and a high-level diplomatic delegation.
According to official sources, the visit carries exceptional significance for strengthening bilateral relations, enhancing energy and industrial cooperation, and expanding trade ties between the two countries. During his stay in Moscow, the Prime Minister will lay a wreath at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier and hold a key meeting with President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.
The high-level talks are expected to focus on cooperation in the energy sector, including the supply of oil and gas at concessional rates, possible LNG agreements, and the rehabilitation or modernization of Pakistan Steel Mills. Industrial partnership, defense collaboration, and the broader regional situation will also be discussed in detail. Sources indicate that significant developments may emerge to give practical shape to economic cooperation.
The Prime Minister will also attend the Pakistan-Russia Business Forum, bringing together leading business figures and investors from both countries. Discussions will cover agriculture, energy, logistics, minerals, and heavy industry. Trade in local currencies and alternative financial mechanisms are likely to be explored to ease bilateral trade constraints.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, stated that relations between the two nations have entered a new phase, with economic partnership taking center stage. He noted that recent progress in energy and trade sectors reflects growing mutual trust, and tangible outcomes are anticipated from the visit.
In addition, the Prime Minister will address Pakistani students in Moscow, visit the land allocated for the Pakistan Embassy, and attend prayers at the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, underscoring public and cultural engagement.
Following engagements in Moscow, the Prime Minister will travel to Saint Petersburg, where he will meet members of the local business community and visit prominent historical and cultural landmarks, including the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood and the Hermitage Museum.
Political observers view the visit as particularly significant within the framework of Pakistan’s balanced foreign policy amid evolving global dynamics. Concrete progress in energy cooperation, steel mill revival, and industrial collaboration could mark the beginning of a new chapter in Pakistan-Russia relations.
Upon completion of the visit, the Prime Minister and his delegation will return to Pakistan.
