PM Imran Khan ending Russia visit due to military operation in Ukraine

February 24, 2022: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan is ending his two-day visit to Moscow hours after Russian forces attacked targets across Ukraine, according to associated press (AP).

The prime minister was accompanied by a high-level delegation including federal ministers Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Asad Umar, Hammad Azhar, Commerce Advisor Abdur Razzak Dawood, National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf and Amir Mahmood Kiani.

Pakistani government officials have offered few details on the substance of PM's visit, which was planned more than a month ago and was expected to focus on Pakistan's energy needs, it said.

After a span of two decades, this was the first visit of any Pakistani Prime Minister to Russia.

PM was to have met with Russian President Vladimir Putin following his arrival on Wednesday, though the foreign ministry has not spoken of it. PM Imran Khan’s decision to still go ahead with the visit despite a growing fear of a Russian invasion of Ukraine surprised some analysts.

In recent years Pakistan has grown closer to Russia, which has traditional ties with Islamabad’s long-time foe and neighbor India. Russia and Pakistan have shared military exercises and grown closer as peace was sought to the relentless conflict in Afghanistan, it added.

AP