ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in countering shared challenges posed by terrorist groups, acknowledging that collective efforts are essential for ensuring regional and global stability.
The commitment was made during the 11th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group to Counter International Terrorism held in Moscow on 22nd April 2025.
Pakistan’s delegation was led by the Special Secretary (United Nations), Nabeel Munir, while the Russian side was led by Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergey Vershinin.
The two sides held an in-depth exchange of views on the global and regional terrorism landscape, with particular attention to the evolving threat posed by terrorism in Afghanistan and the region.
The discussions focused on the increasingly transnational nature of terrorism and the growing need for adaptive and cooperative strategies. It was decided to hold the next meeting of the Working Group in 2026.
Last week, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov in Islamabad.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to deepen their bilateral relationship through a long-term, multi-dimensional partnership encompassing trade, energy, security, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges.
On Wednesday, Pakistan and Russia held the 15th round of the Pakistan-Russia Consultative Group on Strategic Stability in Islamabad.
It is pertinent to mention that the Prime Minister of Russia, Mikhail Mishustin, visited Pakistan to attend the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conference in Islamabad in October last year.
In the same month, the three-day Pakistan-Russia Trade and Investment Forum was held in Moscow.
Privatisation Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, leading the Pakistani delegation at the forum, signed several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Russian officials to boost bilateral trade and investment.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also met on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan.
They discussed the growing understanding and cooperation between the two countries and recent regional and global developments.
They agreed to hold the ninth session of the Intergovernmental Commission in Moscow this year.
