Russia will continue the practice of joint anti-terrorist exercises with Pakistan to strengthen the republic's potential, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Pakistani newspaper The News International.

"We will continue to provide assistance in strengthening the anti-terrorist potential of the Pakistani law enforcement agencies through joint exercises, including Druzhba(Friendship) and the Arabian Monsoon," Lavrov said.

Lavrov also shared that Moscow and Islamabad enjoyed friendly and constructive relations.

"The past year saw a record volume of bilateral trade: it grew by 46% and reached $790 million. We are making necessary efforts to start the construction of the North-South gas pipeline – the flagship project in the energy sector.

"We hope that all remaining technical issues will be agreed upon in the very near future. Russian companies are ready to participate in the modernization of the energy sector and the railroad system of Pakistan," he said.

(IBNS/Sputnik)