Islamabad/Moscow, Russia, (Parliament Times) : Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, met with the First Deputy Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Mr. Alexander Zhukov. The high-level engagement signaled a broad-based commitment by the Russian legislature to deepening ties with Pakistan in an era of rising global uncertainty.
The meeting served as a platform to candidly address shared concerns over regional stability—chief among them, the protracted crisis in Afghanistan and the rising tensions in South Asia. Chairman Gilani underscored Pakistan’s principled stance on the urgent need for humanitarian engagement in Afghanistan and for justice and peace in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK).
“The people of Afghanistan deserve more than survival—they deserve dignity, education, and opportunity,” Gilani emphasized. “And the Kashmiri people cannot be forgotten in the face of silence and suppression. It is the moral duty of parliaments across the world to become voices of the voiceless.”
Chairman Gilani also drew attention to the alarming rise in Islamophobia, state-sponsored censorship, and extremism in the region. He advocated for sustained parliamentary engagement to confront narratives of hate and build bridges across civilizations.
Discussions also touched upon strengthening collaboration at multilateral forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), where both countries advocate for multipolarity, inclusive development, and cultural diplomacy.
Accompanying Chairman Gilani were Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Khalid Mahmood Jamali; Financial Advisor to the Chairman Senate, Mr. Aizaz Khan; and members of the local embassy staff.
The Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani speaking during an interview with Russian TV, underscored that Pakistan-Russia inter-parliamentary dialogue is actively developing based on mutual respect and shared interests. He cited a series of productive engagements, including meetings with Madam Matviyenko, where crucial agreements were reached through bilateral negotiations.
An MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) was signed earlier by both the Senate and Federation Council which will pave way to learn from each other experiences and share best practices.
In addition to parliamentary engagement, bilateral cooperation spans across multiple sectors, including Energy, Gas, Defence, Security, Counter-terrorism, Culture, Tourism, Youth exchange programs, Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence, Agriculture.
Responding to a question the Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gillani reiterated that it’s a golden and healthy sign that our relationship is growing, but trade must match this strength,” he said. “We expect trade to reach US\$4 billion over the next five years.”
He called for enhanced connectivity through road and railway Network between the two countries. This vision is supported by President Putin,” the Chairman explained.