Islamabad: Pakistan and Russia are in talks to complete a plan for the first visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to this country this year, according to a media report.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has extended an official invitation to President Putin.
He repeated the invitation to Putin during a recent telephone conversation with the Russian President.
Both leaders are also expected to meet in Beijing next month on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the winter Olympics.
The visit of the Russian President was discussed by both parties for the past two years but could not be realized for various reasons including Covid-19 pandemic, officials who were familiar with the development to the Tribune Express on Sunday.
The possibility of President Putin’s visit will be the highlight of years by two parties to open a new chapter in their bonds damaged by the competition in the Cold War.
Moscow also wanted that there must be a ‘big ticket project’ or other initiative that the Russian President will announce when he finally traveled to Pakistan, the report said.
However, the diplomatic source said Putin wanted to make a visit when he had “something big for sale”.
With the signing of the Pakistani Steam Pipe Agreement, the prospect of Putin visited Pakistan had significantly enlightened.
Pakistan is interested in President Putin inaugurates innovative multibilion-dollar gas pipeline projects, which may begin later this year.
Pakistan wants Russian companies to put pipes from Karachi in Sindh Province to a mattress in the Punjab province.
The north-south gas pipeline, which has now been renamed as a Pakistani steam gas pipe, is a superior project that intends two countries since they decided to bury their cold war competition and enter the new era of their bilateral bond.
This agreement was originally signed in 2015 but because of the possibility of US sanctions on Russian companies and other problems, work on a 1.122km long pipe cannot begin.
However, both parties finally crossed the obstacle and signed an amended agreement which would now provide 74% betting in pipes to Pakistan.
Previously, the pipe must be built fully by Russia under the model built, operated, and transfer.
This project will cost around USD 2.25 billion.
After completion, the pipe will help overcome the shortcomings of gas in Punjab.
LNG that Pakistan is now imported will be relyed through this proposed pipe.
Officials who are familiar with these developments said the project not only had economic significance but strategic for Pakistan.
They said Pakistan wanted to expand relations with Russia as part of its efforts to diversify its foreign policy options.
In April last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Islamabad after a gap of nearly nine years.
During a visit, he delivered a message to Pakistani leadership in the name of President Putin that Moscow was willing to expand all possible assistance to Islamabad.
The two countries not only explored the choice to deepen economic bonds, but Russia also wanted to sell weapons to Pakistan, something that was avoided in the past because of the Indian opposition.
Both countries have held routine mutual military exercises since 2016 in other signs of the deepening bond between Moscow and Islamabad.
In addition, the two countries also share the same views on the major regional and international problems including Afghanistan, according to Express Tribune.