Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin issues of strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries, including in the energy sector, and building a gas pipeline from Russia to Pakistan through a group of neighboring countries.

During a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, the Russian president stressed that his country views Pakistan as one of its priority partners in Asia and that relations are developing very positively.

In addition, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak said on the sidelines of the summit that “the gas pipeline will connect Russia with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, taking into account security guarantees.” were transferred to various departments to work on the construction of the line.

Novak noted that “his country is also exploring the possibility of regulating the supply of Russian liquefied natural gas to Pakistan, where the supply of liquefied natural gas was discussed, and additional work was carried out with partners on the possibility of supplying liquefied natural gas to Pakistan.”

At the end of March last year, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the construction of the Pakistan Stream gas pipeline would become a priority for the development of relations between Moscow and Islamabad.