Pakistan is in talk with Russia to finalise the details of President Putin’s maiden visit to the country later this year. Pakistan wanted Putin to undertake his first ever bilateral visit last year but the two sides could not finalise the details due to COVID outbreaks among other issues, as per a report by The Express Tribune.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has been lobbying with Putin to visit Pakistan. He formally invited the latter over a telephonic conversation in August last year and reiterated the same in another phone call made last week. The two leaders will meet on the sidelines of the 2022 Winter Olympics inauguration next month in Beijing.
While COVID and other issues have been cited as a reason behind Putin’s delay, the Russian President wants the visit to be marked by inauguration of some big-ticket investment projects which he could sell to both domestic and international audiences as Russia’s growing influence in the Indian subcontinent, the report noted. And the joint Pakistan-Russia gas pipeline project has been chosen as the focal point of the visit.
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The Pakistan Steam Gas Pipeline project, earlier known as North South Gas Pipeline, is a joint venture which boasts capital investment and technical collaboration on a scale never seen in Pakistan-Russia diplomatic history. A joint venture company will implement the project, with Russian companies laying 1122 km-long pipelines to transport imported LNG gas from Karachi to Lahore. Pakistan wants President Putin to inaugurate the project which will herald in a new era in their bilateral relations.
The project will cost around USD 2.25 billion and will address the issue of gas shortages in Punjab. Pakistan will own 74 percent of the venture and Russia the rest. Pakistan views Russia as a major power and a source of crucial defence and economic deals thereby reducing its dependency on China and the US for economic and military aid.
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Last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited Pakistan and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to deepen bilateral diplomatic engagement. Pakistan last year also conducted joint naval drills with Russia and Sri Lanka under the banner of Arabian Monsoon 2021. The Russian and Pakistan army have been conducting joint military drills since 2016, with the latest edition held in October last year under the banner “Druzhba-VI” in Russia.
India will closely observe the developments as it has historically counted Russia as a privileged partner and has on occasions made apparent its disapproval of the latter's relations with Pakistan.
