ISLAMABAD, June 21. /TASS/. Pakistan and Russia are working toward expanding their bilateral relations in various areas on the basis of mutual understanding and trust, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry stated after the fifth round of Pakistan-Russia political consultations held in Islamabad.

Pakistani First Deputy Foreign Minister Asad Majeed Khan, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko and Russian Presidential Special Representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov participated in the high-level meeting on Tuesday.

"The two sides engaged in comprehensive and productive discussions to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and to deepen understanding on regional and global issues of mutual interest. The two sides reiterated their strong desire to deepen and diversify bilateral relations based on the principles of mutual understanding, trust and cooperation," notes the statement distributed by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.

The consultations enabled an analysis of the current trajectory of Pakistani-Russian relations and an exploration of new areas for cooperation in the context of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Russia.

"In the realm of security cooperation, the delegations reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate in combating terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime," the Pakistani Foreign Ministry stated.

Pakistani and Russian diplomats agreed to step up cooperation in multilateral forums and exchanged views on regional issues, including the situation in Afghanistan, the Middle East and South Asia. They expressed support for efforts to achieve sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan as well as for continuing humanitarian aid to the country.