City Desk
Islamabad:Pakistan’s Ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, urged closer economic, educational and people-to-people ties with Moscow during a Special Talk on “Pakistan–Russia Relations” at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) on 19 October 2026. He stressed turning growing political engagement into practical cooperation.
On trade and connectivity, Tirmizi prioritised visa facilitation, direct flights and solutions to banking and payment constraints. He described preparations for a bilateral business forum, including advance company meetings, and discussed transport links through Iran, Afghanistan and China. He also called for stronger university partnerships, student mobility, cooperation in science, engineering and agriculture, and more Russian language teaching and cultural exchange.
On security, he pointed to opportunities for counterterrorism and law enforcement cooperation following the Russian Interior Minister’s recent visit. Russian Ambassador Albert Khorev reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to help ease Pakistan–Afghanistan tensions and voiced concern over reported terrorist infiltration and the effect of border closures on regional trade.
ISSI Director General Moin ul Haque highlighted joint research with Russian think tanks, while Chairman Khalid Mahmood noted growing convergence between the two countries.
