Pakistan to Join Russia’s North-South Transport Corridor

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Russia, Khalid Jamali, has confirmed that Pakistan has begun the process to join the North-South International Transport Corridor project, following an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In his State of the Union address last year, Putin extended an invitation to Pakistan to join the International Transport Corridor. Ambassador Jamali stated, “We are moving in that direction.”

Pakistan and Russia have developed strong bilateral ties and cooperate closely at international forums such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the United Nations. Pakistan has also sought Russia’s assistance to join the BRICS group of emerging economies, according to Jamali.

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Jamali highlighted that Pakistan has successfully imported one million tons of Russian crude oil and is keen on securing a continuous supply of Russian oil and gas. Agriculture, which employs 69% of Pakistan’s population, is seen as another promising area for increased cooperation between the two countries.

He emphasized the potential revival of the historic Silk Road trade route, citing the successful delivery of Pakistani citrus fruits (kinos) to Dagestan via Iran and Azerbaijan. This new trade route could significantly boost the trade volume between the two nations, which has already reached $1 billion.

Jamali also suggested that Pakistan’s developed furniture industry and Russia’s abundant timber resources offer opportunities for exporting fine timber from Russia to Pakistan.

Moreover, acknowledging Russia’s strong education system, he proposed that Pakistani students be given more opportunities to study in Russian universities.

Like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Russia’s International North-South Transport Corridor is poised to be a game changer, strengthening Pakistan’s relations with Iran, Azerbaijan, and other regional countries.