Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for saying that freedom of speech could not be used to disrespect our Holy Prophet (PBUH).
“He [President Putin] is the first Western leader to show empathy and sensitivity to Muslim sentiment for their beloved Prophet PBUH,” the premier tweeted after a telephonic discussion with the Russian head of state on Monday.
Just spoke to President Putin primarily to express my appreciation for his emphatic statement that freedom of speech could not be a pretext to abuse our Prophet PBUH. He is the first Western leader to show empathy & sensitivity to Muslim sentiment for their beloved Prophet PBUH
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 17, 2022
PM Imran Khan had previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remark a few weeks ago that “insulting the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was not freedom of expression.”
According to a press release issued in connection with today’s phone call, the two presidents fondly remembered their conversations on the subject last year and also discussed bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international problems of mutual concern.
Both leaders also talked about how to move forward with trade and other areas of mutual benefit cooperation between their countries.
We also discussed ways to move forward on trade and other mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries. We invited each other to visit our countries.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 17, 2022
According to the statement, the prime minister stated that he had been consistently stressing the alarming rise in Islamophobia and related bigotry in his UN General Assembly speeches, pointing to its grave consequences.
“The Prime Minister emphasised that Pakistan’s bilateral relationship with Russia is on the rise, with an increased focus on trade and economic ties as well as energy cooperation,” according to the press release, which also stated that the premier reaffirmed the government’s commitment to completing the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline Project as soon as possible.
Both leaders agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in a variety of areas, expand high-level exchanges, and maintain close touch on Afghanistan-related issues, according to the statement.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan emphasised the need of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan for regional stability. “Afghanistan was suffering serious humanitarian and economic challenges, and foreign support for the Afghan people at this critical juncture remained vital,” the press release continued.
PM Imran also emphasised the significance of releasing Afghanistan’s financial assets in order to solve the country’s severe needs.
PM Imran looked forward to President Putin’s visit to Pakistan, as well as his own visit to Russia at a later date, according to the statement.
