By SKM
February 25, 2026
MOSCOW/ISLAMABAD: Journalists, diplomats, and political analysts from Pakistan and Russia will participate in the Moscow–Islamabad Media Forum to be held on February 27, 2026, a high-level platform designed to explore the state of bilateral relations, future opportunities, and the broader geopolitical and media landscape. The forum coincides with the upcoming official visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Moscow in the first week of March.
The forum is to be held virtually across Moscow and Islamabad, has been structured into three sessions covering global challenges, bilateral cooperation, and emerging trends in international journalism.
Session I with the topic on Global Challenges and Perspectives will be moderated in Moscow by Peter Lidov, Counselor at Rossiya Segodnya Media Group, and in Islamabad by Agha Iqrar Haroon, Chief Editor of DND News Agency, the first session featured remarks from Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and geopolitical analyst Dr. Roxolana Zigón. Pakistani insights were offered by Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Chair of the Senate Committee on Defense and Security, and a video address from Russian Ambassador Albert Khorev. Discussions focused on global political shifts, economic dynamics, and their impact on media narratives in both countries.
Session II: Bilateral Relations Development will also be, moderated by Peter Lidov-Petrovsky and Almas Haider Naqvi, senior foreign affairs correspondent at Dunya News, and will highlight strategies to strengthen Pakistan-Russia ties.
Speakers include Pakistani Ambassador to Russia Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Dr. Irina Serenko from the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Moscow-based analyst Sergei Strokan. From Islamabad, perspectives came from Dr. Sarwat Rauf of NUML, Iftikhar Shirazi of Dawn, and Shaukat Piracha of AAJ News. The dialogue will emphasize energy cooperation, trade expansion, defense collaboration, and strategic alignment in regional affairs.
Session III: New Trends in International Journalism will be the final session that will explore evolving media practices, digital transformation, and responsible journalism in geopolitically sensitive contexts. Moderators are to be Peter Lidov-Petrovsky and Tanzeela Mazhar, head of programming at GTV. Moscow speakers will include Dimitri Alexander Simes, Head of Sputnik International, Dmitry Leontiev of RT, and Artyom Chibarov, Head of Online Projects at Rossiya Segodnya. Pakistani contributors include Mateen Haider (Associated Press of Pakistan), Dr. Maria Sultan (SASSI University), and bureau chiefs from Asia One and Express News, who will discuss the challenges of reporting on security, defense, and international diplomacy.
The forum will provide a rare platform for cross-border media engagement, allowing participants to exchange ideas on improving media collaboration, enhancing public understanding of bilateral cooperation, and promoting transparent coverage of international developments.
The dialogue would complement Prime Minister Sharif’s visit to Moscow, reinforcing both strategic and economic ties, and fostering mutual understanding in an era of complex global geopolitics. Ends
