According to Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov, there is no “special discount” for Pakistan on oil imports.
According to Voice of America (VoA), citing Russian state media, the Russian minister confirmed on Friday speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an international economic conference in St Petersburg, that while his country had begun exporting oil to Pakistan, the prices for Pakistan were the same as for other buyers.
“Oil shipments to Pakistan have begun.” Pakistan will not receive any special discount; it is the same for Pakistan as it is for other buyers,” Shulginov told reporters.
He did, however, claim that they had agreed to accept Chinese yuan as payment.
“We decided the fact that payment will be made in the currencies of neighboring countries,” stated Shulginov.
Pakistan has received its first cargo of Russian petroleum under an agreement agreed on at the beginning of this year between Islamabad and Moscow. A shipment containing 45,000 metric tonnes of petroleum products landed in Karachi’s southern city on Sunday, with another 50,000 metric tonnes due later this month.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that Russian crude oil was undervalued. “Glad to announce that the first Russian discounted crude oil cargo has arrived in Karachi and will begin oil discharge tomorrow,” he said on Twitter.
“This is the first Russian oil cargo to arrive in Pakistan, and it marks the start of a new relationship between Pakistan and the Russian Federation,” he continued.
Musadik Malik, Minister of State for Petroleum, also stated that the oil was imported at a reduced price.
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