A view of the Russian oil cargo Pure Point, carrying crude oil, is seen anchored at the port in Karachi, on Monday. Reuters

The Pakistani government on Monday welcomed the arrival of the first shipment of discounted crude from Russia under a key deal between Islamabad and Moscow.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif hailed it as a “fulfillment of promises” to the nation while Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb tweeted that it marked a “true service” for the people.

The cargo was being unloaded in the port city of Karachi, the country’s main hub for imports. Cash-strapped Pakistan had been in talks with Russia to import discounted crude since February 2022, when former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan visited Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin.

Imran Khan’s visit coincided with the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — a visit that at the time strained relations between Pakistan and the United States.

Moscow has since grappled with Western sanctions over the war, rerouting much of its supply to India, China and other Asian countries at discounted prices after Western customers shunned it in response to the invasion.

Pakistan paid for its first government-to-government import of discounted Russian crude in Chinese currency, the country’s petroleum minister said on Monday, a significant shift in its US dollar-dominated export payments policy.

Discounted crude offers respite as Pakistan faces an acute balance of payments crisis, risking a default on its debt obligations.

The foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank are scarcely enough to cover four weeks of controlled imports.

Deputy Oil Minister Musadiq Malik told the Geo news TV that Islamabad had initially signed an agreement with Russia for the purchase of 100,000 tonnes of oil, which is supposed to arrive in two ships. The first vessel with the crude arrived in Karachi on Sunday. The size of its cargo load was not immediately known.

He did not share any details about the price of Russian oil, saying only that Pakistan will try to ensure a steady import with the expectations that prices at the pump will decrease.

“If we start getting one-third of our crude oil from Russia, then there will be a big difference in prices and its effect will reach people’s pockets,” Malik said.

The first cargo of discounted Russian crude oil arranged under a new deal struck between Islamabad and Moscow earlier this year arrived in Karachi on Sunday. It is currently being offloaded at the port in the southern city of Karachi.

Agencies