Pakistan PM Imran Khan finally met Russian President Vladimir Putin and held informal talks after reaching Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. PM Khan is in Kyrgyzstan to attend the 19th Meeting of the Council of the Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Earlier in the day, in an interview with Sputnik News, Khan expressed his hope to meet Russian President Putin on the sidelines of the SCO summit.
“I think this will just be an informal meeting on the sides of the SCO conference. I already met him briefly during my visit to China, where there was a conference by Chinese President Xi. So I met him, but this time I hope to have an informal chat with him. I already met the prime minister of Russia in China on my first visit,” Sputnik News had quoted PM Imran as saying.
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Khan also had a friendly meeting with the Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Sharipovich Jeenbekov on the sidelines of the SCO summit, a statement released by the Prime Minister Office said. According to Radio Pakistan Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov had extended the invitation to Khan to attend the two-day summit.
The prime minister congratulated the Kyrgyz president on hosting the SCO summit, who in turn “appreciated Pakistan’s role in the SCO”, the statement added. The two countries agreed to strengthen land and air connectivity between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan.
“The two PM’s also reviewed bilateral relations and agreed to upgrade mutual cooperation in diverse fields,” according to the statement. Furthermore, both leaders also agreed to a “joint ministerial commission and bilateral political consultations soon”. It was also decided that Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan must enhance people-to-people contact and boost tourism through visa-friendly regimes. PM Imran extended an invitation to the Kyrgyz President to visit Pakistan.
