Pakistan, Russia sign MoU for enhancing parliamentary diplomacy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia Monday reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen bilateral ties in the areas of trade, commerce, investment, agriculture and energy for benefit of the two countries.

The Senate of Pakistan and the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for enhancing bilateral parliamentary diplomacy and political dialogue. At the signing ceremony, Speaker of Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Ms. Valentina Matvienko said the visit of the parliamentary delegation of the Federation Council to Islamabad was another step towards an enhanced Russian-Pakistani political and parliamentary dialogue, which is successfully developing at the top and high levels within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, other regional and international organisations.

Also, Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani said in his statement on the ceremony: “The signing of the MoU heralds a new era in Pakistan-Russia relations, rooted in mutual respect and shared objectives.”

A meeting was held between President Asif Ali Zardari and the visiting parliamentary delegation, led by Speaker of the Russian Federation Council Ms. Valentina Matvienko, at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Monday.

President Asif Ali Zardari sought Russia’s support for Pakistan’s bid to become a member of BRICS, which would greatly help Pakistan to enhance its role in regional and global cooperation through the alliance.

Both sides underscored the importance of diversifying trade and economic cooperation, besides enhancing regional connectivity and commercial relations through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the North-South Transport Corridor.

Welcoming the Russian delegation, the president highlighted the historical relationship between Pakistan and Russia, which were marked by mutual respect and a shared commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation in various fields.

While talking to the delegation, the president underscored the need to strengthen cultural linkages through people-to-people contacts and scholarship programs. He also pointed out that both countries had enormous potential for increasing economic cooperation and called for Russian investment in Pakistan.

The President fondly recalled his recent pleasant interaction with President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Ashgabat. The Russian speaker emphasised that her country accorded priority to its relationship with Pakistan and expressed confidence that her visit would further enhance bilateral cooperation.

She hoped that the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Parliaments of the two countries would further deepen bilateral relations. She expressed satisfaction over the growth in bilateral trade.

She also conveyed the special greetings from President Putin. Additionally, she congratulated Pakistan on the successful hosting of the SCO Heads of Government as well as Pakistan’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The president expressed gratitude to Russia for its support of Pakistan’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UNSC. The meeting was attended by the Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, and senators Sherry Rehman, Aimal Wali Khan, Manzoor Ahmad Kakar, Saleem H. Mandviwala, Bushra Anjum Butt and other senior officials.

Meanwhile, addressing a special sitting of the Senate, Ms. Valentina Matvienko said Russia respects Pakistan’s sovereignty, culture and history, expressing desire to enhance bilateral cooperation in diverse fields including economy, trade and energy. She emphasised that the relationship was based on mutually beneficial and respectful grounds, pointing out there were no minor or major partners in it.

She said the recent visit of the Russian prime minister and that of the current delegation would greatly contribute to further promotion of cooperation between the two countries. “Russia is ready to scale-up supplies of mineral fertilizers, modern agriculture machines and share modern technology with Pakistan to increase its agricultural productivity,” she noted.

“On behalf of the entire Russian delegation, let me sincerely thank you for the hospitality and wonderful reception you have accorded us in Pakistan, and for the opportunity to speak in the Senate. It is a great honour for me. I am glad to visit your amazing country again, a country with an ancient history and culture, diverse and distinctive traditions,” she added.

“Bilateral cooperation in culture and sports, which has long-standing traditions, is being revived. Faiz Ahmad Faiz, one of the greatest poets, who wrote in Urdu, was a sincere friend of our country. He translated Rasul Gamzatov’s poetry, wrote about Russian great poet Alexander Pushkin and about the heroic defenders of my native hero city of Leningrad. Scientific and educational cooperation is developing, progress is noticeable in the bilateral agenda in the field of higher education, the recognition of diplomas and academic degrees,” she said.

Ms Valentina Matvienko contended both Pakistan and Russia can learn a lot from each other and open new horizons for this friendship. She expressed the confidence that parliaments of the two countries will play their role in improving the legal framework for their cooperation.

The speaker of Russian legislature emphasised that Pakistan has a favourable geographical location and has considerable logistics and transit potential. Pakistan and Russia, she noted, have a long history and pointed out that even in the most difficult times, both have maintained the dialogue.

She expressed satisfaction over the similarities of their approaches on the majority of international issues, acknowledging the fact that the two countries have consistently promoted and strengthened the UN central coordinated role in international relations.

The speaker of the Russian Assembly was appreciative of Pakistan’s active participation in the UN peacekeeping missions in many regions of the world. Earlier, the Senate chairman said in his welcome remarks that the visit of Ms. Valentina Matvienko represented another important step in strengthening the growing relations between Pakistan and Russia. “From her early years in Soviet youth leadership to becoming one of Russia’s most influential figures, her journey is a testament to hard work, perseverance, and visionary leadership…,” he acknowledged.

In a vote of thanks, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar extended deepest gratitude to Ms. Valentina Matvienko and her delegation for engagements and dialogue and he said that reflected the spirit of friendship, respect and mutual cooperation between our nations.

“The visit marks a significant moment in the strengthening of parliamentary ties and bilateral relations between Pakistan and Russia,” said PPP parliamentary leader Sherry Rehman in the House.

Senator Ali Zafar, who is PTI’s parliamentary leader in the Senate, called for taking the inter-parliamentary relationships between Pakistan and Russia to new heights, saying Moscow can be a crucial and leading partner for Islamabad.

Separately, Ms Valentina Matvienko met National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq here and commended Pakistan’s efforts towards global peace. She reaffirmed Russia’s support for Pakistan’s BRICS membership bid and emphasised the importance of collective efforts to foster peace and prosperity on both regional and global fronts.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to continue collaboration with Russia across areas of shared interest. He noted that parliamentary diplomacy had historically played a key role in reinforcing bilateral relations. He advocated for continuous engagement between the two parliaments, facilitated through parliamentary friendship groups and high-level exchanges as a means of promoting mutual learning and shared experiences.