Moscow's links to Kabul, New Delhi and US sanctions impede Islamabad
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, are likely to meet in Moscow by the end of 2026 and in Pakistan in 2027. (Source photos by Reuters)
ADNAN AAMIR
October 21, 2026 12:41 JST
ISLAMABAD -- The first visit by a Russian interior minister to Pakistan last week has opened avenues for closer cooperation between the two countries despite Moscow's recent efforts to bolster diplomatic relations with Afghanistan's Taliban regime and its longstanding relations with New Delhi.