Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk arrived in Islamabad for a two-day visit, leading a high-level delegation from Russia. The government plane landed at the international airport in Pakistan's capital, as reported by TASS.
During the visit, Overchuk is expected to meet with Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, as well as hold talks with Pakistan's First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar. The Russian delegation includes representatives from key ministries and agencies.
The discussions will focus on the current state of bilateral relations, exploring opportunities for expanding and diversifying cooperation in areas such as trade, transport, logistics, energy, agriculture, and education. Additionally, the two sides will address collaboration in multilateral formats. Ahead of the visit, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry emphasized the ongoing development of cooperation between the two countries, particularly in energy and trade, noting that their friendly relations are based on trust and goodwill.
“We will explore Pakistan’s interest, or lack thereof, in establishing a free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). At the very least, we will begin discussions and assess the possibilities. This has already been discussed with our EAEU colleagues, and from our side, there is definite interest,” Overchuk told reporters.
He added that such an agreement would create new opportunities for enhancing trade within the EAEU.
The Deputy Prime Minister also mentioned that the talks will include improving transport and logistics connectivity in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) region, developing the North-South Corridor, expanding trade, and enhancing cooperation in sectors such as machinery, agriculture, and information technology.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Taimur Dee/Creative Commons 4.0
Based on materials from TASS