Pakistan's PM Shahbaz cancels trip to Russia over regional clashes

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif cancelled on Sunday a trip to Russia in the coming days, citing the "regional and internal situation."

Shahbaz Sharif was due to travel to Russia from March 3 to 5, it had been reported in Russian media.

Months of cross-border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan have flared since Thursday when Afghanistan launched an offensive along the frontier, with Pakistani forces hitting back on the border and from the skies.

And protesters took to the streets across Pakistan on Sunday after the death of neighbouring Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israel air strikes.

"In view of the current regional and internal situation, the prime minister has decided to postpone his visit to Russia after consultations," Sharif's office said in a statement.

A new date will be decided after "mutual consultations", the statement added.

Agence France-Presse