Pakistan to boost relations with Russia

Pakistan's Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani will be in Russia from October 3-6 to give a push to Islamabad's efforts to improve relations with Moscow ahead of the pull out of foreign troops from Afghanistan. Kayani's visit was in the planning for months, but got additional focus because of cancellation of President Vladimir Putin's visit to Pakistan, which would have been a landmark trip because he would have been the first Russian president to visit Pakistan, according to Pakistan's (Dunya) News. Kayani is expected to meet Putin. This will be the Pakistan Army chief's first visit to Russia since 2009. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Pakistan during October 3-4 amid efforts by Islamabad to step up contacts with the political and military leadership in Moscow ahead of the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.