Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Saturday said improvement in ties between Islamabad and Moscow was not at the cost of relations with other countries such as New Delhi and Washington, media reported.
Asif brushed aside the notion that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu's recently concluded visit to Pakistan might annoy New Delhi and Washington, Dawn online reported.
He termed it Pakistan's independent diplomacy and said: "Russia is a great regional power and Pakistan cannot ignore it."
"After US/Nato forces' withdrawal from Afghanistan, security would be a bigger challenge for Afghanistan... and Pakistan wants Russian engagement in Afghan peace process," he was quoted as saying.
"We must forget what Russia did in the past and look forward to a new beginning in the region," he added.
The Russian defence minister visited Islamabad Nov 20.