Karachi Pakistan : The Russian Ambassador to Pakistan, Excellency Danila Ganich, attended a dinner organized by the Karachi Council On Foreign Relations (KCFR) at a local Hotel. While responding to a question, he said that Hamas’s Attack on Israel was a terrorist act and that Israel is carrying out a huge Revengeful Terrorism with impunity under US Support.
He added that it was a complex issue and he was grateful that Pakistan co-sponsored the Russian draft resolution on the UN Security Council which was about a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. Both Russia and Pakistan acted as brothers in presenting that Resolution. He continued that the attack by Hamas was a terrorist act that needs to be condemned, but what is happening in Gaza is not just counter-terrorism but revenge and terror and that Russia saw an act of aggression against Palestine.
In his address. He said that while Pakistan was Russia’s priority partner the level of trade was not as such, while both countries were strengthening their ties. He stated that Pakistan was a powerful country, with its huge population, its status as an authority in the Muslim Ummah, its defacto nuclear state status, and its society based on traditional values. He said that Pakistan is a champion of peace in the international sphere and so is Russia. The ambassador went on to reply to another question and explained the collaboration in the field of university education and how it could be further improved. He said that we needed to strengthen the direct interactions between universities, which has just started. He said that we may not rely on the states to provide significant positive outcomes and that it would be possible through private interactions between Russian and Pakistani universities which would lead to stronger collaboration. About the the status of banking relationships and visas between the two countries Pakistan’s dependence on the Dollar hindered this relationship.
As for banking Russia had proposed several proposals, and he emphasized that we need to decrease our dependence on the US dollar. As for visas, he said that he believed that Pakistan and Russia needed to have payment infrastructure before the issue of Visas could be addressed and smoothened. Replying to another question about the atrocities taking place in Kashmir he stated that on the Kashmir issue, he would reiterate his government’s stance that it was a bilateral issue and needed to be solved bilaterally, under UN Resolutions. Replying to another question about hindrances in trade between Russia and Pakistan the language barrier and how should it be addressed. The Ambassador said that for the Russian language, both the governments of Pakistan and Russia are trying to expand the scope and several universities in Pakistan are now following it up. KCFR Chairperson Mrs. Nadira Panjwani gave a welcome address, going through the historical background, she mentioned the bountiful resources of both countries and how stronger ties would be mutually beneficial for both of them. Commodore Sadeed Malik conducted the session. Mr. Farooq Afzal elaborated on the economic and trade relations between the two countries, emphasizing that the gap between potential mutual economic activity and actual mutual economic activity was vast. At the end, the Chairperson presented the Ambassador with an Ajrak and a shield from KCFR.
