Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has stated that Russian President Viladimir Putin appreciated Pakistan’s role and efforts for promoting regional peace and security.

While talking to media, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan and Russian President Viladimir Putin met briefly on sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Bishkek.  Both leaders discussed Afghanistan issue, situation in Middle East and Iran. PM Khan also took the Russian President into confidence on Kashmir’s situation, Qureshi told reporters.

He said the SCO forum provided an opportunity for peace, stability and regional connectivity. During the summit on June 13, the prime minister while giving an interview to the Russian media, expressed his desire to increase military ties with Moscow.

PM Khan said he was happy with the burgeoning relation between Pakistan and Russia. “This is not the 60’s, things have changed drastically from the past riddled with ‘cold war’,” said Khan.

PM Imran Khan and other world leaders were in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to attend the 19th meeting of the Council of the Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Prime Minister Imran Khan held meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidlines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek on Thursday. The premier was representing Pakistan in the 19th meeting of the council of the heads of states of the SCO.

“We have developed cooperation with Russia between our defense forces and hope to deepen our contacts,” the PM said while speaking to a Russian publication.

“Most of the 50s, 60s, 70s were spent in the Cold War region, where India was close to the Soviet Union, and Pakistan was close to the United States. We were in different camps. Now things have changed. It is refreshing that we have developed our contacts with Russia, and they are developing all the time,” he said.

To a question on whether Islamabad intends to purchase weapons from Moscow, the premier said the Pakistani and Russian militaries were already coordinating on the matter. “First, we hope that our tension with India decreases, so we do not have to buy arms because we want to spend money on human development. But, yes, we are looking for arms from Russia, and I know our military is already in touch with the Russian military,” said the PM.