Pakistan and Russia on Wednesday agreed to boost cooperation in diverse areas including defense and counterterrorism. An understanding to this effect was reached during talks between Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi with the visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
While speaking at a joint press conference with Qureshi later, Lavrov said Russia was ready to build further counterterrorism potential through provision of military equipment to Pakistan. "This is in the interest of all states of the region," he said, adding that both sides also agreed on joint military exercises and drills.
"We also agreed that we need to further conduct exercises and drills in the mountains called Druzhba (friendship) and maritime exercises called the Arabian Monsoon," Lavrov said.
The
Druzbha exercise between the Pakistani and Russian militaries, which began in
2016, usually features special forces from both sides. A Russian Army
contingent visited Pakistan last November for the latest edition of the drill.
Stream Gas Pipeline
About the opportunities in the energy sector, Mr Lavrov said both countries were discussing a new protocol on the Stream Gas Pipeline project and as soon as it was signed, construction work on the project would start.
On his part Qureshi said: "We have overcome many of the obstacles and Pakistan wants to go ahead and is committed to the project."
Pakistan and Russia in November 2020 signed a revised deal for laying the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline, formerly known as the North South Gas Pipeline, with major shareholding for Islamabad.
The two sides agreed to rename the North South Gas Pipeline as the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline due to major shareholding for Pakistan. They also agreed, in principle, to execute the project through a special purpose company, which would be incorporated in Pakistan.
Though Russia will have minority shareholding in the gas pipeline project, Pakistan will ensure maximum utilization of Russian material, equipment and resources with the aim of enhancing technical and operational capacity of Pakistani companies and human resources through mutual working and training.
In the revised project structure, Pakistan will hold 74% shares whereas Russia will have 26% stake. Earlier, Russia had to build the pipeline on the build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) model and transfer its ownership to Pakistan after 25 years.
Russia-Pakistan technical committee held its first meeting from November 16-18, 2020 in Islamabad on mutual cooperation for the development of gas pipeline project. Energy ministries of the two countries were present in the meeting.
Discussions were aimed at finalising broad contours and parameters of the project involving construction of a high pressure gas transmission pipeline from Port Qasim (Karachi) to Kasur (Punjab) for the transportation of re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) in order to meet gas shortage emanating from growing demand from industrial and domestic consumers.
Russia is not a friend of India?
Russia
had angered India by supplying a limited number of Mi-35M helicopter gunships
to Pakistan in 2018 and Lavrov's comments about potential supplies of special
military equipment, even to bolster Pakistan's counter-terrorism capabilities,
are unlikely to go down well in New Delhi, the Hindustan Times said adding: The
reception given to Lavrov in Islamabad was in contrast to his brief visit to
New Delhi, where he only held talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.
Lavrov didn't meet the Indian prime minister - usually a part of any senior
Russian leader's visit to New Delhi, the paper pointed out.
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