PM Imran Khan likely to visit Russia this month

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will be the first Pakistani prime minister in 23 years to embark on a bilateral visit to Russia in the last week of this month, ARY News reported quoting diplomatic sources.

PM Khan’s visit to Russia this month is taking place on the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The prime minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation of senior ministers from his cabinet. Sources say that details of this visit will be released in due course of time by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During PM Khan’s visit, the discussions will focus on enhancing cooperation in the spheres of economy, trade, defense and energy.

The last time an elected Pakistani prime minister visited Russia on a bilateral visit was in March 1999 during the tenure of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Since then, there have been multiple informal pull-aside meetings between the Russian president and Pakistani prime minister at different forums.

PM Imran and Russian President Putin have exchanged multiple telephone calls in recent times as well.

Last month, Prime Minister Imran Khan held a telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday and lauded his “emphatic” statement on blasphemy.

“Just spoke to President Putin primarily to express my appreciation for his emphatic statement that freedom of speech could not be a pretext to abuse our Prophet PBUH,” the prime minister tweeted.

Read: PM Imran Khan welcomes Putin’s remarks against blasphemy, Islamophobia

PM Khan had said they also discussed ways to move forward on trade and other mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries and invited each other to visit their countries.