Pakistan and Russia on Thursday “finalised consultations” to enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interests — a day after they discussed ways for supplying oil and gas to Pakistan on a “long-term” basis — according to state media Radio Pakistan.
The consultations today were held in Islamabad between both countries’ energy ministers and other government officials on the second day of the eighth meeting of the Inter-governmental Commission on Trade and Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation of Pakistan and Russia.
A Russian delegation led by Energy Minister Nikolay Shulginov is currently visiting Islamabad to discuss ways for improving bilateral economic and trade relations, with the focus mainly on the provision of oil and gas to Pakistan at discounted rates.
The visiting delegation had also called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore on Wednesday, where “views were exchanged on supplying oil and gas from Russia to Pakistan on a long-term basis”, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
The series of talks follow the claim by Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik last month that Russia had agreed to provide oil to Pakistan at discounted rates to meet the country’s rising domestic and industrial energy demands.
Pakistan would purchase crude oil, petrol and diesel from Russia at discounted rates, he had said.
The vow had come after a Pakistani delegation led by Malik visited Moscow in late November last year to initiate talks for the procurement of oil and gas at discounted prices.
The draft protocol finalised during today’s meeting would be agreed upon and signed at the meeting’s plenary session to be held tomorrow, Radio Pakistan said.
It further said Russia opined that significant progress has been made in various areas, which would ultimately pave the way for deepening and strengthening relations between Pakistan and Russia.
