Zardari for exploiting Pak-Russia potential in trade, tech cooperation

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that Pakistan and Russia had enormous potential which needed to be exploited in order to expand bilateral partnership in trade, investment, technology and people-to-people exchanges.

He made these remarks while speaking as chief guest at a special ceremony celebrating the 35th National Day of the Russian Federation. The event was also attended by Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Tariq Fatemi and members of the diplomatic corps.

Zardari said Pakistan regards Russia as an important global power that had been a key player in ensuring regional peace and stability, particularly in the Eurasian region. He extended his greetings to President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation Albert Khorev as well as to the people of Russia. He said there had recently been extensive high-level interactions between the two countries that laid the foundation for deeper engagement and understanding between the two nations. Pakistan and Russia also continue to cooperate closely on regional and international platforms, he added. The president underlined that SAPM Fatimi had a very promising meeting with Russian foreign minister in Moscow early this month, wherein both sides underscored the importance of peace and stability in the region.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Ambassador Albert Khorev, highlighting the steady progress in Pak-Russia relations, said bilateral cooperation was advancing at a satisfactory pace across various sectors. He expressed appreciation for Pakistan s growing interest in Russian language and culture. The ambassador also reaffirmed Russia s continued support for Pakistan on various international platforms, noting that both nations were working together to deepen ties in education, diplomacy, and mutual development.