Islamabad    -  Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be paying an official visit to Pakistan on April 6-7 where he will meet Pakistani leadership to discuss bilateral relations and explore the possibility of enhancing cooperation in the trade, economy and defence fields.

“I can confirm that Russian Foreign Minister is visiting Pakistan on April 6-7 which would help in strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields between the two countries,” Foreign office spokesman Zahid Hafeez told The Nation.

The Russian leader would also discuss latest situation in Afghanistan and will be accompanied by Russia’s special envoy on Afghanistan Zamir Kaboluv.

This is quite significant that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is first visiting India on April 5-6 where he will get a briefing from Indian leaders on regional situation.

Diplomatic sources told the nation that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and would hold formal talks at the Foreign Ministry with his counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

“The proposed project to lay down North to South energy pipeline in Pakistan is also likely to be discussed during talks between Pakistan and Russian Foreign Ministers”, the spokesman said. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Moscow Shafaqat Ali is also reaching Islamabad  prior to the visit of Russian Foreign Minister where he would be part of the  preparatory meetings in connection with Russian Foreign Minister’s visit.

Russian Foreign Minister is visiting Pakistan after a gap of eight years. He visited  Pakistan on October 2, 2012 when he was invited by the then Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.