Prime Minister Imran Khan has extended an invitation to Russia President Vladimir Putin to visit Pakistan.
In a tweet on Monday, the PM said that he had a conversation with Putin to express his gratitude as he "is the first Western leader to show empathy & sensitivity to Muslim sentiment for their beloved Prophet PBUH".
The PM further said that they also discussed ways to move forward on trade and other mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
"We invited each other to visit our countries," PM tweeted.
Last year, the Russian president had said that insulting the Holy Prophet (PBUH) does not count as an expression of artistic freedom but is a "violation of religious freedom".
As per state agency TASS, Putin said that insults were a violation of "the sacred feelings of people who profess Islam".
Putin further stated that Russia had evolved as a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional state and so Russians were used to respecting each other’s traditions
"In some other countries, this respect came in short supply," the state news agency had quoted the president.