Islamabad-Moscow ties developing swiftly, trade volume surpasses $2bn mark: Russian diplomat

KARACHI: Expressing his satisfaction, Russia’s Consul General in Karachi Andrey V Fedorov said that the bilateral cooperation among Islamabad and Moscow was rapidly developing and high-level contacts between leadership of the two sides had further strengthened it. 

Addressing the “People’s Unity Day” ceremony held here late Friday night at the Consulate General of the Russian Federation, the diplomat said that the day is being celebrated by people of Russia on November 4 every year to commemorate an unprecedented resilience of their nation.

Fedorov said the relations between Russia and Pakistan were developing with passage of time and currently there was a trade volume of over $2 billion between the two countries.

He said all members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation are equal and working together to save future of our children.

Addressing the event, Fedorov said “People’s Unity Day” is the day when his country rose from the ashes and liberated itself from the "Polish occupants" during the so-called time of troubles.

"Our civilization, culture and people were literally on the brink of extinction. And in that very moment in the year of 1612, an ordinary shopkeeper Kuzma Minin and a rich Duke Dmitry Pozharsky formed the people’s volunteer militia that helped Russia to regain its true independence."

At the end of the time of troubles, the Russian diplomate said that his nation learned many valuable lessons that have continued to pass through generations. 

Referring to Pakistan-Russia relations, Fedorov said in the recent years, bilateral cooperation of the two countries had rapidly developed.

The level and frequency of the high-level contacts between Russia and Pakistan have elevated dramatically since the last year, when we celebrated the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Russia-Pakistan diplomatic relations, the Russian envoy said, adding that that it was especially reflected on July 3 at the SCO Head of States meeting in Astana, on the sidelines of which Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, senior members of provincial cabinet, former speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani, MNA Dr Farooq Sattar, PPP Sindh president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, diplomats of other countries, business community representatives and media persons were present on the occasion.

A cake cutting ceremony was also held on People’s Unity Day while Russian artists performed and mesmerized the audience with their traditional Russian dance before being served with delicious dinner.