Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan was
seen informally interacting with Russian president Vladimir Putin on several
occasions during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) leaders’ summit in
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Both Putin and Khan seemed to enthuse each other,
with rare smiles on their faces during the tête-à-tête.
This prompted Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to share with the media that Khan’s interactions and informal meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the summit focused on issues mainly Afghanistan, Middle East, Iran and Kashmir. Qureshi further said that the ‘Russian President appreciated Pakistan’s role and efforts for promoting regional peace and security’.
President Putin’s visit to Pakistan is also long overdue. His planned visit in October 2012 was cancelled at the eleventh hour, however, it has been since argued that the Russian president’s visit can only materialize if there is “some substance – and not mere attendance for ceremonies – to the visit”. The Bishkek meeting may lead to a convergence of minds and an eventual Putin visit to Islamabad.
Previously, in an interview with the Russian state news outlet Sputnik, PM Khan had said that Pakistan was interested in procuring arms from Russia, adding that he was happy that his country was moving ‘closer to Russia in the changing world’.
“Yes, we are looking for arms from Russia, and I know our military is already in touch with the Russian military,” PM Khan told Sputnik on Thursday. He further argued that while his country previously used to rely on the U.S. as an ally and a trading partner, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), especially its flagship China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has created a shift in his country’s overall outlook.
When the Sputnik correspondent asked Khan as to what would he like to say to the Russian and international audience? He replied,
Well, to the Russian audience I would say the one thing — that Pakistan and Russia, and before was the Soviet Union, we did not have very good relationship with each other. And then, when [there was] the Afghan jihad, when the Soviets went to Afghanistan, we were in opposing camps. But times have changed now. And I am very happy that we now are moving closer to Russia, we are developing our relationship with them. And we hope that this relationship will keep improving, and there will be more people-to-people contact — people from Russia will come over to Pakistan. It is one of the most diverse countries in the world. We are opening up Pakistan to tourism. And so we hope people from Russia will come to Pakistan. And, also, I hope to go and visit Russia on an official visit, I look forward to that. I just feel that it is important now that Russia and Pakistan move closer.
PM Khan also discussed peace with India and hoped that New Delhi will respond positively to Pakistan’s peace overtures.
Khan also touched upon improving relations with the regional stakeholders as a prerequisite for regional trade connectivity and joint peace promotion.
PM Khan, in his final remarks, stressed upon the need for peace in the Middle East and how global actors need to focus on eradicating poverty.
