ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has postponed his visit to Russia in light of the recent regional and internal situation, the APP reported.
As per the press release issued by Media Wing of the Prime Minister Office in Islamabad, the visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was highly important for the advancement of bilateral relations between the two countries. However, the visit has been postponed owing to the prevailing circumstances.
The new dates for the visit will be decided after mutual consultation.
Russian President Putin hails relations with Pakistan
In January, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed growing relations between his country and Pakistan as “mutually beneficial” with cooperation expanding across sectors.
Additionally, the X account of the Russian Embassy in Pakistan had quoted Putin as saying on the occasion: “We are continuing close cooperation with Pakistan. Pakistan is a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which is the region’s largest regional organisation in terms of economic, technical, and human resources. Russia-Pakistan relations are mutually beneficial in the truest sense.”
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was assassinated
Today the Iranian state media announced that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed at his office in the Israeli-US attacks on Iran after earlier reports of his killing by US and Israeli officials.
A 40-day mourning period for the longtime Iranian leader has been announced.
“With the martyrdom of the supreme leader, his path and mission neither will be lost nor will be forgotten; on the other hand, they will be pursued with greater vigour and zeal,” a presenter said.
According to AFP, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have also vowed “severe punishment” for the “murderers” of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israel attacks.
Following the announcement, hundreds of people took to streets, including Pakistan’s Aabpara Chowk to march towards the US Embassy in Islamabad. However, the march was stopped by law enforcement agencies at Serena Chowk, who resorted to heavy shelling.
Pakistan hits Afghanistan’s Taliban military installaions
Earlier, Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban overnight clashes were reported as the international community expressed increasing concern about the conflict and called for urgent talks.
According to officials, Pakistan hit Taliban military installations and posts, including in Kabul and Kandahar, in one of the deepest Pakistani incursions into its western neighbour in years.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of supporting “anti-Pakistan terrorists” who it blames for carrying out suicide attacks in Pakistan.
This is a claim disputed by the Taliban government, which has repeatedly said the territory of Afghanistan is not being used to threaten the security of other countries.
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