ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia held their first ever consultation in Islamabad, as informed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its statement added that a wide range of regional issues and key areas of mutual interest, including economic cooperation and connectivity were discussed. "The two sides exchanged views on important global and regional developments. It was also decided that the next round of consultations will be convened in Moscow in 2017," the statement added.
Director general, ministry of foreign affairs, Ahmad Hassain Dayo, led the Pakistani side while Alexander V Sternik, third CIS department head at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led the Moscow delegation. Both the countries' troops had held their first-ever joint military exercises in September in Cherat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The joint drill named 'Friendship 2016' was seen as a step in the growing military-to-military cooperation between the two countries that remained rivals for decades during the Cold War. Pak decided to warm up to Russia following the 2011 killing of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden, in a military operation by the US in Abbottabad, followed by the killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers the same year in Nato airstrikes on a check post along the Durand Line, Pak's disputed border with Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, to keep its long-term ally on its good side, Moscow had ignored Islamabad for long, until New Delhi's inclination towards Washington began to grow. During the last 15 months, Pakistan's Army, Navy and Air Force chiefs travelled to Russia and the exchanges resulted in the signing of a deal between the two countries for the purchase of four MI-35 attack helicopters. Not only that, Islamabad is also considering purchase of advanced Russian war-planes. During his visit to Moscow in July, Pakistan's chief of air staff, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, discussed purchase of Su-35 fighter jets with his Russian counterpart. The move was considered a major policy shift on part of Russia in the wake of growing strategic partnership between the US and India.
