Islamabad: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing economic, trade, and investment ties with Russia: He was speaking at a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mr. Alexei Overchuk, on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia Conference in China today.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Finance Minister emphasized the growing momentum in bilateral relations, especially in the fields of energy, trade, and industrial collaboration. He highlighted Pakistan’s keen interest in establishing a new steel mill with Russian collaboration and stressed the importance of feasibility studies and cost assessments to move the project forward.

Muhammad Aurangzeb acknowledged the significance of the Pakistan-Russia Freight Pilot Train Project, scheduled for launch on Monday, under the North-South Transport Corridor via Iran. Discussions during the meeting also focused on strengthening energy cooperation, with Pakistan expressing interest in expanding the procurement of crude oil and investments in oil and gas exploration.

The two dignitaries delved into opportunities for collaboration in the hydropower sector, with Pakistan welcoming Russia’s technical expertise and investment. Both sides discussed measures to ensure smooth operations, including customs facilitation and regulatory alignment.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both sides eager to achieve tangible progress in the near future.