Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has announced that Russia will be shipping discounted crude oil to Pakistan. It is to be the first transaction of crude oil between Pakistan and Russia, who would be providing Islamabad with the oil at a favourable price, in a deal which would also present Moscow with a new outlet for oil sales. Pakistan has pledged to purchase crude oil only, not refined fuels, in what is anticipated to be an ongoing transaction, with future imports targeted to reach 100,000 bpd. If this level were to be reached, it would potentially signal a significant decline in Middle Eastern suppliers of crude oil to Pakistan.