Russian Deputy PM Alexei Overchuk reaches Pakistan

Today, on September 18, 19—two days after the Foreign Office announced his planned two-day official visit—Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk arrived in Pakistan.

The Additional Foreign Secretary (Europe), Shafqat Ali Khan, and Pakistan’s Ambassador in Moscow, Muhammad Khalid Jamali, received the Russian dignitary at the Islamabad Airport, according to a statement released by the FO today.

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The FO further stated that while in the federal capital, Deputy PM Overchuk will have lengthy discussions with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and his colleague Ishaq Dar.

His visit follows last week’s The News story indicating that further LNG deals between Moscow and Islamabad were being considered.

According to the publication, which cited a senior official at the Ministry of Energy, Russia had communicated that its LNG export terminals would be ready for gas trade with Pakistan in 2026 because two long-term agreements under government-to-government arrangements would trigger the price re-opening clause with Qatar in 2026.

In addition, a representative told the subcommittee that a Russian group was scheduled to come to the nation to talk about the construction of a cutting-edge steel plant on the Pakistan Steel Mills’ current location (PSM).

Speaking exclusively to Geo News on his visit, the deputy prime minister said that Moscow is willing to help Islamabad by sharing knowledge with it in a number of areas.

Highlighting the growing socio-cultural relations between the two nations, Overchuk expressed his hope that Pakistan and Russia would continue to work constructively together while Russia serves as the president of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State.

“There is a good environment for advancing expanded cooperation between our countries,” he said.

Recall that earlier this month, the Ministry of Industries and Production reported to the National Assembly that the nation was thinking of building a new steel mill as a result of a meeting in April between President Zardari and representatives from Russia, during which the latter offered support for the PSM, which was established with Moscow’s help.

In July, Islamabad received an offer from Russian Consul General Andrey Viktorovich Fedorov to assist Moscow in bringing back the steel plants.

In recent months, Pakistan has played host to a number of high-ranking officials from different nations, such as President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan’s two-day official visit in July.

Prior to it, in April, the late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi had also touched down on a three-day visit.