MOSCOW, Jan 20: A special envoy of President Pervez Musharraf arrived in Moscow on Sunday with a personal message for Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Interfax news agency reported.

Asfandyar Wali, due to stay in the Russian capital until Monday evening, will hold talks at the foreign ministry and State Duma, lower house of parliament, a Pakistan embassy official told Interfax.

Neither the Russian foreign ministry nor Kremlin would give any information about the envoy’s schedule.

His trip follows a visit last week by Pakistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Ahmad Khan, who explained measures by Islamabad to crack down on militant groups.

Musharraf on Jan 12 outlawed five extremist groups, including the two New Delhi holds responsible for a suicide attack on the Indian parliament last month that led to an escalation of tension between the two countries. Pakistan condemned the attack.

Russia said it welcomed Pakistan measures to curb religious extremism but that it expected more of the same.—AFP