Russia ready to mediate Pakistan's issues with India, Afghanistan: envoy

Russia's ambassador to Pakistan has extended his country's offer to mediate Islamabad's conflicts with India and Afghanistan, amid strained relations with its neighbouring countries.

Islamabad's relations with India have remained tense since the four-day war in May, while the Afghan Taliban regime also drew Pakistan into a brief skirmish last month.

Speaking during a discussion organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad on Wednesday, Ambassador Albert Khorev said that Russia stood ready to mediate the conflicts between Pakistan and India, as well as between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"We also share mutual concern about regional security, especially the situation in Afghanistan, and support continued cooperation to ensure peace, counter terrorism and contribute to social and economic development," he added.

Ambassador Khorev maintained that Russia views Pakistan as an important regional partner, saying that the country held significance in Russian President Vladimir Putin's initiative to establish the Greater Eurasian Partnership.

He said that the initiative proposed that "regional problems should be solved by regional actors".

The Russian envoy was of the view that tensions in relations between South Asian countries were "often provoked by external states".

Islamabad has repeatedly expressed gratitude to friendly countries for making efforts to mediate tensions with Afghanistan.

Earlier this month, the Foreign Office said that Pakistan welcomed any efforts aimed at mediating tensions between bordering nations.

"We welcome Iran's efforts at mediation. We are confident that they can play an important role in mediation," the FO spokesperson said after Iran extended the offer for the same.

Islamabad has also expressed regret over the breakdown of the peace negotiations, mediated by Qatar and Turkiye, with the Afghan Taliban after the two nations engaged in week-long border clashes last month.

The clashes began after the Taliban forces, backed by their affiliated militants, launched an unprovoked attack on the…