Putin calls Pakistan-Russia relations ‘genuinely mutually beneficial’

• Fiasal Tirmizi presents credentials to Russian president.
• Ambassador Faisal conveys greetings to President Putin.
• Putin says cooperation between two countries expanding.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called his country’s relations with Pakistan “genuinely mutually beneficial”, saying that Moscow maintains close ties with Islamabad.

“We maintain close cooperation with Pakistan, a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the largest regional organisation in terms of economic, technological, and human potential,” the Embassy of Russia in Pakistan quoted Putin as saying.

The statement comes as Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, ambassador of Pakistan to the Russian Federation, formally presented his credentials to President Putin in a solemn ceremony held on Thursday at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow.

Ambassador Tirmizi conveyed greetings and best wishes from President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the people of Pakistan to President Putin on the occasion.

President Putin, referring to Pakistan as a close partner of Russia, noted with appreciation that cooperation between the two countries is expanding, especially in the fields of trade, diplomacy, commerce, education, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, railways, industry, health, and IT, The News reported.

Islamabad has stepped up engagement with Russia in recent years as Moscow sought new energy markets after Western sanctions over Ukraine, and Islamabad looked to lower import costs. Pakistan began buying Russian crude in 2023.

Last year in December, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said that Islamabad and Moscow were in talks on a potential oil-sector agreement.

“All of these areas are Russia’s strengths. And we would be very happy if Russia agreed on an agreement in this sector with Pakistan,” Aurangzeb told RIA news agency in an interview when asked about wider cooperation in exploration, production and refining between the two countries.

Aurangzeb also said Russia and Pakistan are looking into building another steel plant in Pakistan, RIA reported.

Russia also discussed upgrading a refinery in the country with Russian companies involved, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev had said in November.

Pakistan previously received Russian crude shipments in 2023 under a government-led arrangement. The first cargo arrived at Karachi port in June 2023, when a tanker carrying 45,000 tonnes of Russian crude docked.

The government had placed the first order for 100,000 tonnes of Russian crude in April 2023 after months-long talks on the terms of the deal.