President Asif Ali Zardari met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday during a visit to Turkmenistan, where the pair emphasised further strengthening their bilateral relationship.

The informal interaction was held on the sidelines of a two-day international forum on ‘Interrelation of Times and Civilizations — Basis for Peace and Development’ in Ashgabat to commemorate the 300th birth anniversary of Turkmen poet Magtymguly Faragi, according to a press release from the Presidency.

Both leaders expressed good wishes to each other.

President Zardari, who arrived on Thursday, addressed the forum. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov also attended the event.

In his address, the president lauded the Turkmen leadership and people for hosting the event which also provided him an opportunity to interact with the leaders of regional countries.

President for ‘regional connectivity, cultural cooperation’ During his address, President Zardari emphasised an enhanced focus on the promotion of regional connectivity as well as cultural and economic collaboration in the region.

“Pakistan and Turkmenistan share a deep-rooted bond of brotherhood which was built on mutual respect and commonalities of faith and a shared vision for a better and peaceful future,” he said.

The president called Faragi a “towering figure” of Turkmen literature and a “beacon of spiritual enlightenment”. The Turkmen poet and Pakistan’s national poet Allama Iqbal shared several commonalities in their poetry and thoughts on Sufism and nationalism, he added.

“His works continue to resonate with us today providing guidance, inspiration and a sense of unity,” President Zardari said.

The president also expressed his pleasure at meeting Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and recalled his several meetings with Gurbanguly Mlikgulyewi Berdimuhamedow, the father of the incumbent president.