In a significant diplomatic development, Russian Federation Council Chair Valentina Matviyenko met with Yousuf Raza Gilani, Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, on Sunday on the sidelines of the 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Tashkent. The meeting marked a renewed push to strengthen political and parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.
Footage from the meeting showed both leaders warmly greeting each other, followed by formal discussions involving their respective delegations. Matviyenko underscored the importance of enhancing inter-regional cooperation, expanding legal frameworks, and further institutionalizing the growing political dialogue between Moscow and Islamabad.
“The political dialogue between our countries has gained good momentum,” Matviyenko noted.
“We have strengthened the legal basis of our inter-parliamentary relations, and agreements have been signed between both upper and lower chambers. We are interested in further developing interregional ties between regions of the Russian Federation and Pakistan.”
In response, Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani expressed Pakistan’s strong desire to intensify engagement with Russia. He reaffirmed the Pakistani Parliament’s readiness to take all necessary steps to enhance cooperation in economic, parliamentary, and regional development spheres.
“Pakistan’s Parliament is fully committed to doing everything possible to strengthen and deepen our cooperation with the Russian Federation,” Gilani stated.
The meeting also included discussions on shared interests in trade, energy, defense collaboration, and multilateral platforms like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), where both countries continue to cooperate closely.
Matviyenko’s trip to Tashkent was part of Russia’s broader parliamentary diplomacy initiative. Her schedule at the IPU Assembly also included meetings with Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, as well as Uzbek leadership and lawmakers.
While much global focus has remained on Russia’s geopolitical tensions with the West, this meeting with Pakistan reflects Moscow’s strategic pivot towards deepening alliances across South and Central Asia. Analysts believe that such engagements are part of Russia’s effort to build multipolar partnerships as Western sanctions and political isolation continue.
The IPU Assembly in Tashkent, attended by hundreds of lawmakers from across the globe, serves as a vital platform for parliamentary diplomacy and multilateral engagement, especially for countries seeking alternative global alignments.
