Russia will sell crude oil to Pakistan at a discounted price, Pakistan’s state minister for petroleum said on Monday, days after he led a government team to Moscow to negotiate the deal.

Russia will also give discounted petrol and diesel to Pakistan, Musaddiq Malik told a news briefing in Islamabad.

“Their government has also invited Pakistan to initiate talks on long-term contracts to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG),” he said, adding that Islamabad was already in talks with Russian private companies over the import of LNG.

It was a successful visit in terms of good future prospects with Russia in the energy field, Malik said.

“Our local gas production is depleting around eight to 10 percent a year,” he said.

Malik also said Pakistan would separately get two million pounds (907,185 kg) of LNG in aid from neighbouring Iran this winter.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Asif Shahzad, writing by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; editing by Jason Neely and Bernadette Baum)