Summary The president said Pakistan valued Russia as a global power and shared with it a commitment to sovereign equality, dialogue and amplifying the voice of the Global South in international affairs
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening its partnership with Russia, describing Moscow as a trusted partner and an important global power with whom Islamabad seeks deeper cooperation in diverse fields.
Addressing a reception held to mark the National Day of the Russian Federation, President Zardari extended warm congratulations to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian Ambassador Albert P. Khorev and the people of Russia on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan.
The president said the National Day reflected Russia’s national independence, rich history and the enduring spirit of its people.
Recalling his visit to Russia in 2011, President Zardari acknowledged President Putin’s role in bringing the two countries closer and fostering a relationship based on mutual respect, trust and shared interests.
He said Pakistan and Russia had steadily expanded bilateral engagement over the years, adding that the foundations of the relationship were strengthened by the vision and statesmanship of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who played a key role in developing ties with the former Soviet Union.
President Zardari said the legacy of engagement was later carried forward by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, whose leadership helped renew cooperation during a period of major global change.
He noted that the tradition of engagement was further advanced by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari during his tenure as Pakistan’s foreign minister through active diplomatic outreach.
Highlighting the positive trajectory of bilateral relations, President Zardari said regular interactions between ministers and senior officials reflected growing momentum in Pakistan-Russia ties. Referring to remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier this year, he noted that the current period represented the most positive phase in Pakistan-Russia relations in many decades.
The president said Pakistan valued Russia as a global power and shared with it a commitment to sovereign equality, dialogue and amplifying the voice of the Global South in international affairs.
He said cooperation between the two countries continued to expand in key sectors including energy, industry, agriculture and education, creating new opportunities for economic collaboration and people-to-people contacts.
President Zardari also highlighted educational exchanges, noting that nearly 1,300 Pakistani students were currently studying in Russia, many on Russian scholarships, serving as a bridge between the two societies.
Expressing optimism about the future of bilateral ties, he said Pakistan looked forward to sustained high-level engagement to enhance economic cooperation and unlock the full potential of Pakistan-Russia relations.
“As we celebrate this occasion, I reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening this important partnership for the benefit of our peoples and for peace, stability and prosperity in our region and beyond,” the president said.
He expressed the hope that the Russian Federation would continue to prosper and that the bonds of friendship between Pakistan and Russia would grow even stronger in the years ahead.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation, Albert Khorev expressed condolences on the M-17 helicopter crash of Pakistan Army.
He highlighted the significance of Russia” National Day as the commemoration of Russian vision and resilience.
He underlined that the Russian President had called 2026, the year of unity of the people of Russia and its strength that lies in multilateral cooperation.
He also lauded Pakistan’s balanced and neutral stance on Russia-Ukraine War.
He added that the continued engagement between the two countries needed to be promoted further through enhanced people to people ties. He wished stronger and propitious Russia-Pakistan relations.
