Russian interior minister made a first visit to Pakistan last week, opening
space for deeper bilateral cooperation, Nikkei Asia reports. A source on
Russia-Pakistan ties said agreements from that visit, if implemented during
Prime Minister Sharif’s planned trip to Moscow later this year, could deepen
relations and pave the way for a possible Putin visit next year. Observers say
economic cooperation will be central: Sahar Khan, a nonresident fellow at a New
York-based global affairs institute, said Russia could become an important
supplier of crude oil, wheat and fertilizer to Pakistan and a significant
investor.