- High-Level Meeting in Islamabad Explores Expanded Academic Exchanges, Joint Research, and Implementation of KazanForum Initiatives
ISLAMABAD – Ambassador Albert P. Khorev received a high-level delegation from the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMSTECH) at the Russian Embassy in Islamabad. The delegation was led by the Coordinator General of COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary.
The meeting served as a platform to deliberate on avenues for deepening collaborative engagement between COMSTECH and the Russian Federation, which holds Observer State status within the OIC framework. Discussions centered on institutional capacity-building, knowledge exchange, and the operationalization of previously agreed scientific and educational initiatives.
Strengthening Bilateral Academic and Research Ties
Prof. Dr. Choudhary provided an overview of existing collaborative arrangements, notably the productive partnerships with Kazan Federal University and the Russian Association of Earthquake Engineering and Protection against Natural and Man-Made Hazards. He underscored the potential for broadening these engagements through enhanced inter-university linkages, expanded scholarship schemes, and joint fundamental research programs in areas of mutual scientific priority.
Both sides acknowledged the considerable scope for advancing academic mobility and research cooperation, with particular emphasis on accelerating the implementation of outcomes from the inaugural meeting of the Working Group on Cooperation between COMSTECH and the Russian Federation. That session, which focused on science, technology, and higher education, was convened on the margins of the International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum” on May 13, 2026, in Kazan.
Russia’s Strategic Engagement with OIC and Pakistan
Ambassador Khorev reaffirmed Russia’s steadfast commitment to broadening its multifaceted dialogue with the OIC and its member states, including Pakistan. He emphasized that scientific and technological cooperation remains a key pillar of Russia’s engagement strategy with the Islamic world.
The interlocutors observed that the partnership with COMSTECH not only advances shared scientific objectives but also contributes meaningfully to the strengthening of bilateral Russia-Pakistan relations across multiple domains.
Commitment to Sustained Collaboration
Both parties agreed to maintain regular high-level exchanges and to extend all possible institutional support for the timely realization of joint projects and programs. The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to sustaining momentum on collaborative initiatives and exploring new frontiers of cooperation in science, technology, and higher education.
BY: The Times Union
