Islamabad:Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah on Thursday reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Russia across various sectors and expressed confidence that continued engagement would bring tangible benefits to the people of both countries and further strengthen Pakistan-Russia relations.
He said this while talking to Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Pakistan Albert P. Khorev during a meeting here. The participants focused on Pakistan-Russia bilateral relations, cooperation in the field of sports and other matters of mutual interest.
The meeting focused on Pakistan-Russia bilateral relations, cooperation in the field of sports, and other matters of mutual interest. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation across diverse sectors and enhancing people-to-people contacts through sports, education, culture and economic engagement.
During the meeting, the two sides agreed to accelerate the implementation of existing memorandums of understanding on sports cooperation between Pakistan and Russia. Minister Rana Sanaullah emphasised that collaboration in football would be pursued on a priority basis, including efforts to organise a friendly football match between the two countries.
He noted that Russia possessed extensive expertise and strong capabilities in sports development, while closer cooperation in education, culture, economy and sports could further strengthen bilateral ties.
Ambassador Khorev expressed Russia’s keen interest in benefiting from Pakistan’s experience and expertise in the development of cricket, as the sport continues to gain popularity in Russia. He appreciated Pakistan’s achievements in international cricket and conveyed his desire to expand cooperation in this field. The two sides also agreed to promote traditional and popular sports of both countries and explore new avenues of sports diplomacy. The ambassador proposed enhanced exchanges in winter sports, including a possible visit by a Russian ice hockey team to Pakistan.
He also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and stability in the region and acknowledged its constructive role in fostering dialogue and reducing tensions at the international level.
