Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Sunday Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistani President Arif Alvi on the 75th anniversary of Pakistan's independence, noting active cooperation in counter-terrorism, the Kremlin said Sunday.

In a telegram sent to the Pakistani leadership, Putin expressed trust that the cooperation between Russia and Pakistan will continue to expand.

"Relations between our countries are at a high level. Russia and Pakistan are actively cooperating bilaterally and in various multilateral formats, including in counter-terrorism and the Afghan direction. I am confident that our joint efforts will provide further building of the whole range of constructive Russian-Pakistani ties for the good of our peoples and in interests of strengthening regional security and stability," Putin wrote in his message published by the Kremlin.

In October 2021, Russia hosted international talks on Afghanistan, and a Taliban delegation attended a meeting aiming to focus on the security situation and the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

Participants in the third Moscow format talks on Afghanistan expressed their concerns about the activities of terrorist groups in the country.

In a joint statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry after the meeting, the participants expressed their concerns "about the activities of proscribed terrorist organizations in Afghanistan." Moreover, "the sides reaffirmed their willingness to continue to promote security in Afghanistan to contribute to regional stability."