LAHORE, January 07 — “Strong people-to-people connections are the backbone of lasting bilateral relations. Language is not just a means of communication; it is the gateway to understanding culture, building trust, and fostering cooperation in trade, investment, education, and diplomacy. These views were expressed Culture, Science and Education Attaché at the Embassy of the Russian Federation, Gleb Shubin during his visit to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
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During the visit, Gleb Shubin, along with President Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol, formally inaugurated the Russian Language Course at the Lahore Chamber. Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmed Sheikh, Vice President Khurram Lodhi, Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation in Lahore Dr. Muhammad Ashraf Nizami, Executive Committee Member Mohsin Bashir, and others were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol said that Russia is a major global economy and an emerging trade destination for Pakistan. He highlighted that although Pakistan-Russia trade has improved in recent years, it remains far below its true potential. He emphasized Pakistan’s strategic location as a natural gateway to Central Asia, offering Russia access to warm waters and regional markets, along with cost-effective transit routes, logistics support, and connectivity for trade between Russia, Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East.
LCCI President added that Pakistani businesses can explore joint ventures with Russian counterparts in energy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, and information technology. He stressed that learning the Russian language would help entrepreneurs better understand Russian markets, regulations, and business culture, facilitating smoother trade and investment relations. He further noted that the Lahore Chamber is actively working to diversify Pakistan’s export markets in line with national economic priorities, adding that initiatives such as language courses, trade delegations, and institutional linkages are essential to boosting exports and reducing the trade deficit.
Returning to his remarks, Gleb Shubin described the launch of the Russian language course as a concrete first step towards enhancing people-to-people interaction, which would ultimately translate into stronger cooperation in trade, investment, education, and other sectors. He added that Russia has a clear and positive stance towards Pakistan, aimed at strengthening relations across all spheres, and that closer engagement between business communities could unlock significant trade potential and create opportunities for joint industrial ventures.
In today’s globalized world, cultural and educational collaboration is as vital as economic partnerships, because lasting relationships are built on mutual understanding and respect. Enhancing dialogue between business communities and encouraging cultural exchanges will unlock untapped opportunities and create new avenues for joint ventures, industrial cooperation, and sustainable growth between Russia and Pakistan,” said Gleb Shubin.
He also informed participants that the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Pakistan would visit the Lahore Chamber in the near future to further deepen engagement with Pakistan’s business community, emphasizing that collaboration between the Russian Embassy and the Lahore Chamber is crucial to expanding bilateral economic and cultural relations.
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