Imran Raises Kashmir In Meeting With Putin
Moscow, Feb 25: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan raked up the Kashmir issue during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying it needed to be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, his office has said.
Khan, who was on a two-day trip to Moscow, met Putin on Thursday, hours after Russia launched an attack on Ukraine. Discussing South Asian matters, Khan brought up Kashmir and underscored the need for a peaceful resolution to the issue. Talking about the ongoing Ukraine crisis, Khan said dispute should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
“The Prime Minister stressed that conflict was not in anyone’s interest, and that the developing countries were always hit the hardest economically in case of conflict. He underlined Pakistan’s belief that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy,” the Pakistan PMO said in a tweet. Putin and Khan spoke on bilateral and other regional and international issues.
“The leaders of the two countries discussed the main aspects of bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on current regional topics, including developments in South Asia,” the Kremlin said in a brief statement issued on Thursday. The Pakistan PM also attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin wall. “The two leaders held wide-ranging consultations on bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest,” Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office tweeted.
Khan also reaffirmed the importance of the Pakistan Stream gas pipeline as a flagship economic project between the two countries and discussed cooperation on prospective energy related projects, the Dawn reported. He also underlined the need for addressing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and preventing a potential economic meltdown. “The prime minister reiterated that Pakistan would continue to work with the international community for a stable, peaceful and connected Afghanistan. “In this regard, he underscored the ongoing cooperation and coordination between Pakistan and Russia at various international and regional fora, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation,” the newspaper reported citing a handout of the Prime Minister’s Office issued late Thursday.
