Islamabad: Pakistan can import oil from Russia on deferred payment as both countries are in talks to discuss possibility, a senior government functionary revealed after recent meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin on sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Samarkand. The official, who was part of prime minister's delegation informed that PM Shehbaz at least held three meetings with President Putin.

"One was formal and rest were informal," official, who requested anonymity because of sensitivity of issue, added. Official, when asked rejected claims of previous government if there was any proposal on table for importing oil from Russia on discounted rate. "What we have discussed during recent interaction with Russian side is possibility of importing oil on deferred payment," official said.

Russia has shown inclination to consider proposal, official said. If proposal is meterlised it will be a landmark development given that Pakistan imports oil from Gulf countries and in past Saudi Arabia and UAE supplied Pakistan oil on deferred payment.

It is not clear if government can pursue option given likely opposition from United States.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 19 2022

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