MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s willingness to strengthen relations with Pakistan within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), particularly focusing on counter-terrorism cooperation, during a meeting with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi on Tuesday.
The meeting, held as part of Fatemi’s official visit to Russia, saw Lavrov express satisfaction with the ongoing progress in bilateral collaboration. He highlighted joint initiatives, including the development of new steel mills and key infrastructure projects, as evidence of growing ties between the two countries.
Fatemi conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to expanding cooperation in areas such as energy, trade, and regional connectivity. He also briefed Lavrov on developments in South Asia, underscoring Pakistan’s concerns about rising regional tensions.
A key issue highlighted during the discussion was India’s recent decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance. Fatemi described this move as a serious escalation with far-reaching implications, pointing out that the treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, has historically governed water-sharing between India and Pakistan.
The suspension of the IWT followed a series of retaliatory actions and military clashes triggered by the April 22 Pahalgam attack, in which 26 tourists were killed. India accused Pakistan of involvement without presenting credible evidence and launched missile strikes on Pakistani cities, leading to the worst military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors in nearly three decades.
Pakistan responded with “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos,” downing six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale aircraft, and shooting down dozens of drones. After nearly 87 hours of fighting, both countries agreed to a ceasefire on May 10, brokered by the United States.
According to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), 53 people, including 13 armed forces personnel and 40 civilians, were killed in the Indian strikes during the confrontation.
Lavrov also reiterated Russia’s support for normalizing Pakistan-India relations, noting that improved ties would benefit regional peace and stability.
Before concluding the meeting, Fatemi handed over a letter from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Russian President Vladimir Putin, further signaling Pakistan’s intent to deepen diplomatic engagement with Russia.
