The senate chairman received a warm welcome earlier this week in Russia's capital, where he had arrived for a four-day visit. The delegation was greeted by Russian Senator Vladimir Chizhov and Shafqat Ali Khan, the Ambassador of Pakistan to Russia.
Pakistan’s Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani holds two unique distinctions of being the youngest Chairman of the Senate (he was just 39 at the time of appointment in 2018) and the first one to be elected to the position from the province of Balochistan.
Chairman Senate, Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani addresses the plenary session of Federation Council of the Russian Federation, June 6, 2023.
© Photo : APP
According to the senate's website, the Balochi senator, who holds a masters degree in international relations, is known for his humanitarian spirit, and in addition to holding the highest political portfolio in the senate, he has also chaired the senate finance committee, business advisory committee, and the committee for promotion and development of football in Pakistan.
New Avenues of Cooperation
During his visit, Sanjrani addressed the plenary session of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, during which he recalled the historical ties and the prospects of enhancing bilateral relations between Islamabad and Moscow.
At the start of his speech, the senator expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to the Pakistani delegation. He also acknowledged the pride and honor he felt to be present in the "culturally diverse nation" of Russia.
Chairman Senate, Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani addresses the plenary session of Federation Council of the Russian Federation. June 6, 2023.
© Photo : APP
Senator Sanjrani further affirmed Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing bilateral relations with Russia in all areas of mutually beneficial cooperation, especially trade, investment and energy.
He also appreciated the personal role of Senator Valentina Matvienko, the Speaker of the Federation Council, in revitalizing Pakistan-Russia relations.
Talking about opening new avenues of cooperation, the senator said that the Pakistani business community has shown significant interest in expanding trade relations with Russia in multiple avenues.
The senator also welcomed the constructive dialogue between parliaments worldwide to build on a deeper understanding among nations, highlighting the vital role of parliamentary cooperation and effective diplomacy in resolving regional and international issues.
"This is my first visit to Russia, which marks the completion of 75 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Russia. The friendly relations between the two countries span decades and I can see a bright future for Pakistan-Russia ties," Senator Sanjrani said during his speech.
Pakistan and Russia commemorated the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations on May 1. To mark this milestone occasion, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov exchanged letters of felicitations.
Sputnik received confirmation from a government source that during the delegation’s visit, the senators visited historical landmarks in Moscow and even toured the capital’s famous metro system (underground trains). Built in Russia in the 1930s, the Moscow Metro glorified the technological progress of the Soviet Union and is today one of the world's busiest subway systems.
It is most famous for its extravagant and unique interior design, decorated with paintings, chandeliers and unique mosaic works, exalted as the 'Palace of the People' as 21,000 square meters of marble were used just for the first 13 stations! Now there are over 270 stations in the Moscow metro.
A Vision for Prosperity
Senator Sanjrani's visit comes at a time of improved bilateral ties between the two countries. Just last month, on May 25, a landmark event took place in Pakistan's southern port city as the Russian cargo vessel, Crystal Saint Petersburg, arrived at the Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) marking the beginning of a direct shipping link between the two nations.
As Russian exports to Asia continue to rise, the arrival of the vessel highlighted the profound market access and cost-saving benefits for Pakistani exporters targeting Russia’s extensive consumer market.
Pakistan's Energy Minister Khurram Dastagir told the local media that the start of direct shipping service between the two countries would further deepen the bilateral economic relations. He added that connectivity, especially through trade and infrastructure, is part of a vision of the present government for prosperity.
The launch of a direct containerized shipping service between Karachi and Saint Petersburg is set to reshape trade relations between both the countries, with immense business opportunities and the potential to extend bilateral trade up to $20 billion.
Earlier, Pakistan welcomed Russian interest in its forthcoming power projects after Moscow declared its intention to play a key role in developing two of the country's largest hydropower plants which are at present under construction.
The 2160 MW Dasu hydropower project, constructed on the Indus river in the Kohistan district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, is one of the plants Russia is keen to develop alongside Pakistan. The other one is the 4,500 MW Diamer-Bhasha Dam Project on the Indus River, in Gilgit-Baltistan region. Russia's Power Machines - and energy systems engineering business - has already offered to supply electro-mechanical material for it.
Besides hydropower plants, Pakistan is also interested in cooperating with Russia to build coal-based power units in the Jamshoro district and at the Lakhra coal mine in Sindh province.
Furthermore, at the start of 2023, a large delegation of top Russian officials visited Pakistan's capital and held discussions with Pakistani authorities in Islamabad regarding the import of Russian crude oil.
Following the meeting, in April, Pakistan's Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik announced that Islamabad has ordered its first consignment of discounted Russian oil after the former signed a deal with Moscow.
Malik revealed that Islamabad was only buying crude from Russia, and that refined oil wasn't part of the agreement. The minister, however, asserted that Pakistan imports of Russian oil are expected to touch the 100,000 barrels per day mark if payment mechanisms unfold successfully.
According to Pakistani media reports, Islamabad will pay around $50 per barrel for its purchases from Russia, which is comparatively quite less than the $79 per barrel it would be paying to buy Brent crude. This is beneficial for Pakistan, given that the country is reeling under one of its worst economic crisis in decades.
Hence, it is highly likely that Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani's recent visit to Moscow will further deepen the bilateral trade relations between Russia and Pakistan, paving the way for more mutually beneficial agreements in the near future.