Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said Pakistan wants to enhance bilateral cooperation with Russia in energy, trade and investment, among other areas.

Prime Minister Sharif, during a meeting with the Ambassador of the Russian Federation Albert P Khorev, also urged the Russian side to send a delegation to Pakistan to hold discussions with their counterparts to identify ways to enhance the existing level of trade and investment ties between the two countries.

Sharif also stressed the need for early convening of the 9th session of the Russia-Pakistan Inter-governmental Commission (IGC), due to be hosted by Russia later this year, state-owned news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said, quoting a statement from the PM Office Media Wing.

The Russian ambassador assured the prime minister that Russia wanted to build stronger ties with Pakistan and said that, in addition to energy, trade and investment, Russia was also keen to enhance cooperation in education and culture, the APP said.

Later, the Russian Embassy in Pakistan posted on its X handle: “The sides discussed in detail the political, trade and economic aspects of Russia-Pakistan cooperation, as well as exchanged views on international and regional agenda issues of mutual interest.”

Meanwhile, during the meeting with Khorev, who called on him, Sharif expressed deep condolences on the loss of precious lives in the Crocus City Hall attack outside Moscow last week and said Pakistan stood in solidarity with Russia at this tragic hour.

He also thanked President Vladimir Putin for the congratulatory message sent to him on his re-election.

Sharif fondly recalled their (Sharif-Putin) meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Samarkand in 2022 and reiterated his invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at his earliest convenience, the APP report added.