ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Alexey Overchuk, will arrive in Pakistan today, Wednesday, on a two-day visit accompanied by a high-level delegation, Radio Pakistan reported.
Islamabad last year started purchasing Russian crude oil at a discount as high prices caused by geopolitical tensions have caused fuel prices to more than double in Pakistan. Pakistan also received its first shipment of liquified petroleum gas from Russia last September, marking Islamabad’s second major Russian energy purchase.
“Deputy Prime Minister Overchuk will hold meetings with the President, the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan,” Radio Pakistan said on Tuesday about the Russian deputy PM’s Islamabad visit. 
In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan and Russia enjoyed “cordial relations based on goodwill, amity and trust, which is reflected in the multi-faceted bilateral cooperation including in trade, energy and connectivity.”
Energy imports make up the majority of Pakistan’s external payments and discounted imports from Russia offer a respite as Islamabad faces an economic crisis. It is targeting 100,000 bpd of imports from Russia, compared with the total 154,000 bpd of crude it imported in 2022, in the hopes that will lower its import bill, address a foreign exchange crisis and keep a lid on inflation.
However, the benefits are being offset by increased shipping costs and lower quality refined products compared with the fuels produced with crude from Pakistan’s main suppliers, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
As a long-standing Western ally and the arch-rival of neighboring India, which historically is closer to Moscow, analysts say the crude deal would have been difficult for Pakistan to accept, but its financing needs are great.

ISLAMABAD: Several members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday confirmed raids by provincial police in Punjab on the home of senior party leader Salman Akram Raja.

Raja has been serving as the secretary general of the PTI since September 2024 and as the party’s head of legal affairs since August 2024. It was unclear why police had raided his home but many PTI top leaders have been arrested since the party held a rally on Sept. 8 to demand their leader’s release from prison. Authorities say a law related to public gatherings in the federal capital was violated during the rally. 

“Shame on Punjab Police for raiding residence of Salman Akram Raja sb in Lahore. Alhamdulillah, he is safe,” lawyer Abuzar Salman Niazi, who is a member of the PTI Core Committee, said on X. 

“Such unwarranted police raids show the desperation and shamelessness of this unlawful [government],” Lawyer and PTI leader from Multan, Taimur Malik, said on X. “This raid at Salman Akram Raja’s residence will only increase the resentment against this Govt in the public & legal community.”

There was no confirmation of the raids by Punjab police. 

Earlier this week, PTI lawmakers arrested on Sept. 9 following the rally in Islamabad were ordered released by a local court. The legislators had been charged with violating the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act by holding a rally in Islamabad on Sept. 8 that went on longer than the designated time and in which one policeman was injured as PTI supporters clashed with authorities en route to the rally. 

The PTI said a number of the lawmakers were detained from inside the parliament building, triggering protests and condemnation from the party. They were granted bail on Monday submission of surety bonds worth Rs30,000 [$100]. 

Following the arrests, the National Assembly speaker had opened an inquiry into the incident on Tuesday, citing that under Pakistani law, legislators cannot be detained from within the precincts of the parliament without the speaker’s permission.

Khan’s party alleges it has faced an over a year-long crackdown since protesters allegedly linked to the party attacked and damaged government and military installations on May 9, 2023, after Khan’s brief arrest that day in a land graft case.

Hundreds of PTI followers and leaders were arrested following the riots and many remain behind bars as they await trial. The military, which says Khan and his party were behind the attacks, has also initiated army court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence.

Khan, who has been in jail since last August, was ousted from the PM’s office in 2022 in a parliamentary vote of no confidence after what is widely believed to be a falling out with Pakistan’s powerful military, which denies being involved in politics.

Since his removal, Khan and his party have waged an unprecedented campaign of defiance against the military and now the PTI is aiming to mobilize the public through rallies to call for their leader’s release from jail in “politically motivated” cases.

The party’s next rally is planned for Sept. 22 in the eastern city of Lahore.