Daily Times

Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered Pakistan wheat in addition to gas supplies keeping in view the damage to the country’s breadbasket following catastrophic floods, said Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday.

“They have said that they can give us gas. Russia said that they have gas pipelines in Central Asian countries and the pipelines could be extended to Pakistan via Afghanistan. These talks have taken place,” the minister told a media conference. Asif said the country would need assistance from its neighbours and the world community due to massive floods as large-scale crop losses might cause famine.

The Defence Minister revealed in a media conference while sharing the updates of the Prime Minister’s visit along with his delegation to Uzbekistan at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit of the Council of Heads of State in Samarkand. Khawajah said the Prime Minister during his one-on-one interactions, bilateral meetings and speeches at the SCO Summit had highlighted that the global north damages to ozone layer caused the disaster that directly impacted over 33 million people in Pakistan. “He [Prime Minister] reiterated that in the coming days Pakistan would need the assistance of its neighbours and world community due to massive damage to its agriculture that would cause food security crisis,” the Minister said. He appreciated that the UN secretary general was playing the role of Pakistan’s spokesperson for spreading the word for assisting Pakistan in crisis.

Khawaja said, “The country never needed such unity and solidarity before aa the 220 million masses had to stand together to help disaster hit masses. The winter season is approaching and the flood crisis could cause famine in Pakistan.” During the visit, he said it was visible that the world leaders at the SCO Summit sent their greetings to Mian Nawaz Sharif and recalled their meetings with him. The position of Pakistan among the comity of nations was due to the initiatives taken during Mian Nawaz Sharif’s tenure and that tradition was continued by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he added. While recalling the Prime Minister’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he said, “President Xi in a meeting said I remember Mian Shehbaz as an efficient and pragmatic leader and we believe that we will start CPEC with same spirit, efficiency and hardwork.”