Says necessary infrastructures already in place; PM Shehbaz meets Russian, Uzbek, Iran presidents on sidelines of SCO meeting
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that pipeline gas supplies to Pakistan were possible, revealing that necessary infrastructures were already in place, according to state-owned news agency RIA.
He made these remarks in a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and ways to further strengthen cooperation.
The high-level meeting came after the prime minister reached the Uzbekistan capital to attend the annual meeting of the SCO’s Council of Heads of State during a two-day visit from September 15 to 16. It is Shehbaz Sharif’s first meeting with Putin since he replaced Imran Khan, who had met the Russian president in February a day before Moscow invaded Ukraine.
After the meeting with Putin, the prime minister held a bilateral meeting with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon. The two leaders held wide-ranging talks covering all aspects of mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation, including egional and international issues.
Pakistan and Tajikistan have agreed to work together to strengthen peace, stability, and security in the region, particularly in Afghanistan.
The two leaders exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, covering all aspects of bilateral cooperation.
Expressing satisfaction over the growing political, economic, and cultural cooperation between the two countries, Shehbaz Sharif emphasised the strategic partnership to readiness to facilitate the provision of access to Gwadar and Karachi to Tajikistan.
The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of regular meetings of bilateral institutional mechanisms for the implementation of energy projects.
The two leaders focused on further strengthening the reliable and constructive high-level contacts, inter-parliamentary ties, and defence and security relations between the two countries.
They agreed to remain in close contact and invited each other to visit their respective countries.
The Tajik President extended sympathies and condolences over the loss of human lives and devastation in Pakistan due to floods and assured them of Tajikistan’s full support in the relief and rehabilitation of the affected people.
The Prime Minister thanked Tajikistan for its support for the flood-affected people in Pakistan and shared details of the devastation due to floods induced by climate change.
On the sidelines of the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also met with President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday.
The premier arrived in Samarkand on Thursday on a two-day trip where he will attend the 22nd annual meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and Defence Minister Khwaja Asif are also accompanying him. Uzbekistan PM Abdulla Aripov received the prime minister upon his arrival at the airport.
Shortly after arriving, the prime minister visited Khizr Complex and paid his respects at the mausoleum of Uzbekistan’s first president, Islam Karimov.
On the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, PM Shehbaz met several world leaders including Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi. The two leaders acknowledged moving forward positive trajectory of bilateral relations.
