Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that Pakistan is not pursuing or receiving Russian oil at a discounted price.

His statement apparently contradicts the claims made by State Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik who told a press conference on return from his Moscow visit that Russia will supply crude oil and petroleum products to Pakistan at discounted rates.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was responding to a question by PBS journalist Amna Nawaz, who interviewed the foreign minister in New York for PBS Newshour.

Nawaz asked whether Pakistan believed that it could buy oil from Russia, maintain close relations with China, and yet work as a close ally with the United States.

Bilawal responded by saying that Pakistan has a long history of economic relations with China, “but we also have a historical relationship with the United States that stretches back to the 1950s. And we have partnered over the course of history, and I believe, whenever the United States and Pakistan have worked together, we have achieved great things. And whenever there’s been a distance developed between us, then we have faltered. So I do think it’s absolutely possible for the United – for Pakistan to engage with both China and the U.S.”

The foreign minister denied Pakistan was pursuing an oil deal with Russia, but at the same time, he said the country was “exploring” various options.

“As far as Russia is concerned, we aren’t pursuing or receiving any discounted energy, but we are facing an extremely difficult economic situation, inflation, pump prices. But we do have energy insecurity. And we are exploring various avenues to expand our areas where we can get our energy from. Any energy that we receive from Russia will take a long time for us to develop.”

Imran Khan wouldn’t win

The journalist also asked whether Pakistan’s current government was not holding snap elections because it feared Imran Khan would win.

“A, he wouldn’t win,” said Bilawal adding that in the recent by-elections Khan won on the seat his party members had resigned from. “So I believe this there is a false perception that’s been created about Mr Khan’s popularity through social media and falsely portraying winning by-elections in his own seats as some sort of testaments to his popularity across Pakistan,” said Bilawal, who leads the Pakistan Peoples Party.

Bilawal also ruled out the possibility of early elections.