Category: 1. Pakistan

KARACHI: Russia seeks to double the volume of its bilateral trade with Pakistan, Russian Consul-General Andrey V. Federov said this week, amid a thaw in Moscow-Islamabad ties.

Russia and Pakistan, once Cold War rivals, have strengthened ties in recent years, with Islamabad purchasing discounted Russian crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas in 2023 and Moscow now planning to build a new steel mill in Karachi.

The two countries traded goods and services worth $236 million from July 2024 till May 2025, compared with $1.04 billion in the same period last year, according to Pakistani central bank data. The volume of their trade rose more than 100 percent to $1.81 billion from July 2023 till June 2024, when Pakistan was facing dollar shortages and imported discounted crude oil from Russia, marking a shift from its traditional reliance on Middle Eastern suppliers.

In an interview with Arab News, Federov said this volume can be boosted as the two countries have started implementing the decisions of the 9th meeting of Russia-Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission, held in December, in which they agreed on a protocol for cooperation in the fields of trade, finance, energy, industry and agriculture, transport and infrastructure, business and finance, and science and technology.

“In last five years it (bilateral trade) was duplicated. Now we have one billion US dollars [of trade volume],” the Russian consul-general said, adding that the Russia-Pakistan trade turnover had showed 50 percent growth in the last five years. “My idea [is] that we can duplicate it once again during my staying here in Karachi.”

Federov didn’t say when his term is going to end.

Moscow could provide machinery, fertilizers, oil and gas, and some lentils and grains as part of agricultural exchange with Pakistan, according to the diplomat. Islamabad could in return supply sports goods, surgical instruments, textiles, pharmacy and kinnows that are “very, very famous” in Russia.

“Some of the Russian leading agriculture companies are ready to work with Pakistan,” he said. “There are a lot of things… we can exchange.”

Federov said Moscow and Islamabad were working to “create a bridge” which would stand for decades and that the bilateral trade would be sustained.

“It won’t be affected by any political issues. Business must cooperate. Sorry for using this word must, but I insist that business must cooperate,” he said.

Another area in which Moscow could help Pakistan was information technology (IT), according to the diplomat. Russia has a very good experience in information security, smart cities and e-government that make life of people much easier.

Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) could also assist Russia in data documentation as the South Asian had a “very good experience in this sphere.”

“World is not easy right now, and there are, as I said, a lot of spheres. We can share our experience and Pakistan also,” Federov said.

“We were together.”

Besides economy and trade, Russia and Pakistan saw their interests converging on the issue of last month’s Iran-Israel conflict. Together with China, the two countries co-sponsored a resolution in the United Nations, calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East after the conflict killed hundreds on both sides.

“We were together the co-sponsors of the UN resolution on Iran situation,” the Russian envoy said. “Our relations are very close, and we are working hard on many international issues together.”

Putin last month interacted with the leaders of Iran, Israel and Pakistan to end the conflict.

“Maybe some, some of the countries are not satisfied with our role, and they want to take part of one side or another side,” the consul-general said, in an apparent reference to the United States (US) which sided with Israel and bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 22 before announcing a ceasefire.

Federov said Moscow was “not satisfied” with Israel’s behavior in the region.

“But, also, I should say that we have good contacts also not only with Iran and Pakistan. We have good contacts with Israel,” he said. “We do not break our relations with Israel.”

Pakistan and Russia are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Eurasian political, economic and security organization, and have had sustained high-level interactions and institutional mechanisms.

Federov said the top leadership of Pakistan and Russia had been actively interacting at different international diplomatic forums almost every year.

“Both sides realized that we cannot live without [support from] each other,” he said.

Asked about Putin’s long-pending visit to Pakistan, Federov said: “We are all working on that, but we do not know the plans of the president.”

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s flagship housing initiative, “Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar” (My Roof, My Home), has achieved a major milestone with the completion of over 50,000 houses within just a few months a first in the province’s history.

According to official data released by the Government of Punjab, loans worth Rs. 57.9 billion have been disbursed to deserving individuals, enabling thousands of families to finally own a home.

The project is not only addressing the issue of homelessness but is also contributing significantly to employment generation, boosting the local economy, and supporting the construction industry.

Speaking on the success of the initiative, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said, “Others only made false promises — we have delivered by building real homes for the people.” She added that the housing project reflects her government’s commitment to ensuring a dignified life for every citizen of Punjab.

Officials noted that the program continues to expand, with further housing phases and financing opportunities in the pipeline to meet the growing demand for affordable housing in the province.

Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday again extended an olive branch to India, asking the neighbouring country forge a partnership to pursue peace and jointly combat terrorism.

“Pakistan is ready to forge a historic, phenomenal partnership with India to jointly combat terror,” he said while addressing an international conference on ‘Pakistan Fighting War for the World against Terrorism’ at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute.

“Not as adversaries playing a zero sum game but as neighbours who share a moral and civilisational obligation to save a billion souls from the plague of extremism.

“All it requires is from India’s leadership is to step down from the high horse heading in the abyss and pursue peace with Pakistan.”

Bilawal also called on the Indian leadership to resolve all outstanding dispute including the Kashmir and the water crisis.

“Let us resolve Kashmir in accordance with the aspirations of the people. Let us end the weaponisation of water. And instead build peace as mighty as the Himalayas.

“Let us return to our shared traditions grounded not in hatred but the ancient soil of the Indus valley civilisation. It is not weakness to extend a hand. It is wisdom.”

The PPP chairman has been repeatedly calling for India and Pakistan to engage in a dialogue to establish peace.

Talking today, the former foreign minister said terrorism is a global crisis that need to be defeated for a sustainable future. He also highlighted the threat of “digital propaganda” in counter extremism.

“Pakistan is not drifting through the storm of terrorism. We are steering the vessel,” he said, adding that the country has rendered tremendous human and economic loss in this war on terror.

“We are still fighting because the alternate is surrender. And surrender is not a word in Pakistan’s dictionary,” he exclaimed.

He also highlighted the rise in militant violence over the past year, saying “2024 was the deadliest year in a decade in which 685 service members embraced martyrdom in 444 separate attacks”.

Bilawal also noted the efforts made by the armed forces and security personnel in combatting terrorism.

“Over the past two decades, Pakistan’s armed forces backed by iron willed citizens have broken the backs of Al Qaeda networks, dismantled so-called caliphates such as Daesh, and driven the TTP [Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan] from the fortress to the fox hills.”

“Operation Zarb-e-Azab drained the northern swamp, Raddul Fassad uprooted the sleeper cells in our cities and elsewhere. Today operations in Balochistan sever the connection between separatism and foreign funded terror.”

The former foreign minister said Pakistan supported the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, but instead faced a surge in cross-border terror attacks.

“Taliban regime was greeted as an inevitable fact. They promised the world stability, they delivered a 40 per cent surge in militant attacks on Pakistani soil, and a sanctuary for the TTP, BLA, Etim, and others.

“We saved Kabul. Sovereignty confers duty. Stop the exodus of fighters, choke the traffic of arms, and honour the blood price of the Doha accord or be judged by the company you keep.”

Bilawal said the world should learn lessons from Pakistan’s experience and achievements as the country requires development as an “antidote” against counter insurgency.

“We need equitable burden sharing. We asked for structured investment in counter terrorism and counter violent extremism, modern technology and weaponry,” he said. “No counter insurgency has achieved victory without first winning hearts and minds.”

He also delivered a message to the “merchant of hate” within the country, saying “there is no constitutional right to weaponise religion.”

“If the world demands we outlaw militias, it must also demand all that people live free from collective punishment.

“From the Kashmir valley to olive orchards of Palestine, the world must deliver a just peace.”

He said the world has changed drastically since India and Pakistan sat across the table in 2012.

“We have fought and won the most expensive counter terrorism campaign in modern history. After our removal from FATF gray list, Pakistan stands among the most serious counter terrorism states.

“It is time India recognise this transformation, not as a concession but as an opportunity. Terrorism is a collective menace. No border fence, no nationalist rhetoric, no regional hegemony can shield one nation from a fire it may have help light on the other side.”

He stressed that terrorists have no nationality, religion, caste, or creed, and this menace respects no law. He called for collective global efforts to eliminate terrorism.

The Quad grouping of the United States, India, Japan and Australia called on Tuesday for the perpetrators of an Pahalgam attack that killed 26 in India Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to be brought to justice without delay.

The April 22 attack sparked heavy fighting between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India in the latest escalation of a decades-old rivalry as India blamed it on Pakistan, which denied responsibility while calling for a neutral investigation.

The US State Department issued, a joint statement by the foreign ministers of the grouping, who met in Washington, but stopped short of naming Pakistan or blaming Islamabad for the attack. India, till date, has not provided any evidence of Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the attack. 

“The Quad unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism,” the ministers said in the statement.

They called on all members of the United Nations to cooperate actively with “all relevant authorities” in delivering justice to the “perpetrators, organisers, and financiers of this reprehensible act”, without any delay.

Read: FO slams Modi’s ‘unfounded’ allegations on Pahalgam attack

On May 7, the Indian Air Force carried out an unprovoked attack on civilian targets in Pakistan and alleged that New Delhi had targeted “terrorist infrastructure”. The strikes killed multiple Pakistani civilians and injure many more. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF), scrambled to counter the Indian aerial threat, shot down six IAF fighter aircraft including three French-made Rafales. 

The strikes sett off an exchange of attacks between the two countries by fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery that killed dozens until a ceasefire on May 10.

The ceasefire was first announced by US President Donald Trump on social media after Washington held talks with both sides, but India has differed with Trump’s claims that it resulted from his intervention and threats to sever trade talks.

India’s position has been that New Delhi and Islamabad must resolve their problems directly and with no outside involvement.

On Monday, India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, restated its position that trade was not a factor in the ceasefire.

“Relationships will never be free of issues,” he said, referring to the United States, adding, “What matters is the ability to deal with it and to keep that trend going in the positive direction.”

• “Junaid Akbar should stop whining and stay at home”: Saif.
• Govt spox blames Akbar for failing to fulfill responsibilities. 
• Akbar declines to respond to Barrister Saif’s comments.

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PESHAWAR: Tensions within Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter deepened as a war of words erupted between the party’s provincial president, Junaid Akbar Khan, and Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s spokesperson — exposing divisions within the party’s top ranks, The News reported.

The rift began when Junaid Akbar accused the provincial government of undermining him and targeting his supporters. He alleged that development schemes linked to MPAs who organised rallies in his favour were cancelled and that the chief minister was actively working against him. 

He also accused the government’s spokesperson and CM’s adviser on information, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, of promoting an “establishment-driven narrative.”

In a sharp rebuttal, Barrister Saif dismissed Junaid Akbar’s complaints, saying: “Junaid Akbar should stop whining and stay at home.” He suggested Akbar should resign from his role and make way for someone “competent” to lead PTI in the province.

Speaking to this correspondent, Barrister Saif said he had met Imran Khan only on the PTI founder’s request and would respect his decision if told otherwise. He blamed Junaid Akbar for failing to fulfil the responsibilities assigned to him, claiming this was the root cause of his frustration.

“Those who work don’t complain,” Saif said. “At a time when the party is going through a difficult phase, Junaid Akbar should support the leadership instead of crying and accusing others.”

He added that if Akbar had issues with CM Gandapur, they should be resolved internally rather than through public criticism. “There’s no justification for attacking the chief minister,” he remarked.

Saif also addressed wider political developments, dismissing PML-N leader Amir Muqam’s hopes that his brother, opposition leader Ibadullah Khan, would have become the CM in the last general elections. He insisted the provincial government faced no threat, and all MPAs were united in completing their constitutional term.