Russian President Putin declines invitation to visit Pakistan: reports

Russian Ambassador Alexey Dedov recently speaking at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) had said “The problem is that usually the purpose of the visit is not participation in ceremonies. The visit should have some substance”.

ANI news agency also reported that Islamabad had invited Putin to visit Islamabad, but he refused.

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It is pertinent to mention here that no Russian or even Soviet president has ever visited Pakistan. President Putin had planned a visit to Pakistan in October 2012 but cancelled it at the eleventh hour.

India and Pakistan began accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation led by China and Russia in July last year.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, meeting in the Russian city of Ufa a day after the BRICS emerging economies held a summit there, said the invitation to the two Asian nations showed a “multi-polar” world was now emerging.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had said: “President Putin’s efforts will enhance the political and economic scope of the Eurasian belt.”