Russia can supply gas to Pakistan: Putin
Meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Uzbekistan
Samarkand (agency). Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Uzbekistan on Thursday. On this occasion, Putin said that Russia can supply gas to Pakistan in the coming days as the necessary infrastructure is already in place. The meeting with Putin took place soon after Shahbaz Sharif arrived in Samarkand, Uzbekistan to attend the SCO summit.
According to the report of Russia’s official news agency TASS, Putin said – this issue is about the supply of gas from Russia to Pakistan through a pipeline. This part of the infrastructure for the supply of gas to Pakistan has already been built. It means supplies from Russia via Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan but we are yet to resolve the Afghan issue.
Putin further said that while these are problems related to political stability, we have mutually good relations with the Afghan people. I hope this problem can also be solved. Russia and Pakistan have other very interesting and ambitious projects, especially in the energy sector… He also mentioned the Pakistani Stream project, which can supply liquefied natural gas, but for this infrastructure will have to be created.
The news agency PTI has said in its report that Pakistan’s relations with Russia have strengthened in recent years and they have gone beyond the hostility of the Cold War. The slack in relations with the US has also drawn Pakistan to Russia and China. Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif also held a meeting with the President of Uzbekistan Shaukat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the SCO meeting. In this meeting, both the leaders discussed issues of mutual interest.
