ISLAMABAD: Following the visit of former prime minister Imran Khan to Moscow, Russia has sent a draft four-year (2022-2025) roadmap for development of trade and economic cooperation including increase in bilateral trade turnover, well informed sources told Business Recorder.
The draft roadmap, shared by Russian embassy in Islamabad with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will stimulate economic activity of Russian and Pakistani companies in the markets of both countries. It will also assist business communities of both countries in raising awareness about the opportunities available in the markets of the Russian Federation and Pakistan.
The sector-wise detail of proposed roadmap is as follows:
Industrial sector: Considering the possibility of supplies of assembled vehicles for state and private customers and implementation of the vehicles assembly project in Pakistan, Russian company Ulyanovsky Avtomobilny ZavodLLC (UAZ LLC) has shown interest in establishing such a plant.
Supplies of utility equipment, transportation management digital solutions, possibility of supplies of railways engineering products, possibility of supplies of un-interrupted power system, as well as, other converting equipment are on offer from Russia.
Russia asks Pakistan to start talks on bilateral trade
With respect to cooperation in the field of aviation industry with Pakistan, consideration of possibility of supplies of air navigation and air space control, surveillance and communication systems, weather radars, M/s Almaz Antey JSC and Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCCA) to cooperate with each other.
Cooperation in the field of pharmaceuticals and chemical products: Promotion of certification of the products of the Russian company Ozon Pharmaceuticals LLC, supplies of Russian medicines, registration process of DNA human insulin, Rosinsulin, in Pakistan and assistance in organizing an inspection by a specialized agency is on the cards. Russian organisation, Zavid Medsintz and DRAP will cooperate with each other in this field.
Possibility of supplies of Russian chemical industry products is also part of the proposed roadmap.
Both countries will cooperate in the oil and gas industry, extraction of other mineral resources, pipeline construction and related infrastructure. Both sides will extend cooperation in offshore projects of Pakistan, as well as, outside Pakistan.
Implementation of prospective joint projects in natural gas pipeline construction, including natural gas, has pipeline project “Pakistan Stream” (Karachi-Lahore); natural gas pipeline project Russia-Kazakhstan- Uzbekistan- Afghanistan-Pakistan, and natural gas pipeline project Gwadar-Nawabshah. OGDCL and Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) from Pakistani side to cooperate with Russian oil and gas companies.
For logistics and procurement of large-scale infrastructure projects in Pakistan, Russian Gazprom’s subsidiary Neft- Snabzheniye LLC and Pakistan companies will cooperate with each other. Russian company Zarubezhneft JSC and Pakistan company MPCL will cooperate in the implementation of joint projects for the development of oil and gas fields in Pakistan and in third countries.
Russian company Rosgeo will undertake analysis of Pakistani mineral resource sector to identify possible areas of cooperation/ investment. Both sides will cooperate in expanding Pakistani mineral mining and processing business. Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) through subsidiary Bolan Mining Enterprise (BME) and Russian mining companies will engage with each other.
For LNG supplies to Pakistan, Russian company PJSC Novatek will interact with Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) and Pakistan State Oil (PSO).
Russian side will invest in setting up refineries, upgrading existing refineries, virtual LNG pipelines, onshore storage of LNG, and strategic oil storages and strategic gas storages (underground gas storage in continuation of the “Pakistan Stream” project).
Russian company Gazprom EP International B.V will provide System of Production Facilities Monitoring (SPFM) software for oil and gas field production facilities in Pakistan.
Both sides will cooperate in the extraction of hydropower and renewable resources including the project of a multipurpose dam on the river Shyok.
Russian companies will participate in prospective projects in the power industry of Pakistan including: (i) TPP Muzaffargarh- renovation, modernization and upgradation of the main equipment achieving an increase in the unit capacity of the existing three units from 210 to 235 MW each;(ii) transfer of existing units of TPPs to a combined seam-gas cycle with an increase in both the power of the units and their efficiency;(iii) HPP “Dasu 2” the second stage of TPP Dasu with a capacity 2100 MW (construction of a turbine hall); and(iv) HPP “Takot 3” 1490 MW supply, installation and commissioning of the main generating equipment (construction of the turbine hall).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022