Pakistan, July 11 -- A top Russian official on Thursday described Pakistan as an "important partner" in the region's economic and energy development and called the two countries "natural allies" during a meeting in Moscow, according to an official statement issued by the foreign office in Islamabad.

The remarks were made by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk during an interaction with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Foreign Affairs, Tariq Fatemi, and SAPM on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan.

The delegation is currently in Moscow it attend INNOPROM, Russia's largest annual industrial trade fair, which brings together government delegations, business leaders and technology firms from over 30 count...