Pakistan PM Imran Khan to visit Russia on Feb 23-24: Reports

Moscow/Islamabad, Feb 21: First time in the last 23 years, a Pakistan premier is visiting Russia as Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to visit Moscow on February 23-24.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that preparations for the visit of the Prime Minister were underway, the state-run TASS news agency reported on Sunday.

"The visit will take place on February 23-24," it quoted a source in diplomatic circles as saying. However, the visit has not been formally announced by Pakistan and Russia.

During the trip, the Pakistan Prime Minister is expected to have a key meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistani sources had claimed earlier and both the countries are expected to strike major deals, including a movement forward on Russian investment to build a USD 2 billion worth gas pipeline, Pakistani media reported last week.

Recently, a delegation from Russia visited Pakistan over toll-free proceedings and tax exemptions in connection with the Pakistan Gas Stream Project. The Pakistani leadership wants to sign a commercial agreement with Russia during Khan's visit.

Another project which is likely to be on the agenda is the gas pipeline from Kazakhstan. Khan will become the first Pakistani premier to visit Russia in 23 years after former premier Nawaz Sharif travelled to Moscow after the end of the Cold War.

Pakistan's ties with Russia have moved past the bitter Cold War hostilities in recent years and the chill in the relations between Pakistan and the US has further pushed the country towards Russia and China.

In April last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Islamabad after a gap of almost nine years. During the visit, he conveyed a message to Pakistani leadership on behalf of President Putin that Moscow was willing to extend all possible help to Islamabad. PTI