PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of the 24th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit is important; as a result of which new avenues of cooperation seem to be opening. It is heard that President Putin may visit Pakistan by the end of this year. During the meeting, the two leaders agreed to make the best use of the SCO forum to further promote bilateral cooperation in all fields that are economic, military, strategic and political relations. In this meeting, Pakistan’s inclination towards Russia was noticed, due to which the White House is hesitant and India is panic. But the US should remember that its discriminatory treatment of Pakistan, endless demands for Do More and increasing favours towards India have widened the distance between the two countries. The reason why Pakistan adopted Look East policy instead of Look West is the American attitude. Pakistan’s strengthening of relations with Moscow through Beijing will completely change the scenario of the region. Another reason for this is that the three states: Pakistan, China and Russia are nuclear powers. After Pakistan, India remains the only ally of America in the region, while India is not reliable for America. I think there will be more cracks in US-India relations in the coming time. Pakistan’s move closer to Russia is a diplomatic defeat for America.
Since the end of the Cold War, Russia and Pakistan have been trying to increase trade and economic cooperation and this is also the need of the hour. The volume of mutual trade between the two countries is currently around one billion dollars annually. This can be further enhanced through the barter system. If Pakistan’s electricity and gas problems are solved, the monopoly of the dollar can end. Russia can help us a lot in overcoming energy problems. For this purpose, China and Russia are also actively involved. Some analysts believe that we are moving away from the American club, preparing to emerge as a new power in the region alongside China. The role of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is very important in this, but it is still under Indian influence. Establishing peace in Afghanistan could provide access to the trade markets of Central Asian states and Eastern Europe. Russia’s leaning towards Pakistan after the Ukraine war is in its strategic interest. Due to deep friendship with China, the warmth of Pakistan-Russia relations has increased. This new alignment in the region has given a severe blow to American supremacy.
Pak-Russia relations have not always been friendly; there have been many ups and downs in their relations in the past. On May 1, 1948, diplomatic relations were established between Karachi and Moscow under the agreement, reached in New York between the then Deputy Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union, Andrei A Gromyko, and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Zafarullah Khan. Embassies were established in that regard. The construction of Pakistan Steel Mills in Karachi is a prime example of strong Pakistan-Russia relations. Similarly, the Soviet Union assisted Pakistan in the thermal energy sector and played a key role in setting up OGDCL for gas exploration and development. Pakistan’s biggest Guddu Thermal Power Plant was built with the cooperation of Russian experts. Since 2006, our country has been participating in the NATO-Russia Council’s program for training personnel of organizations in Afghanistan and Central Asian states. Since 2010, anti-narcotics cooperation has also been developing bilaterally.
Similarly, hundreds of Pakistani students are studying in Russian universities. In 2011, Russia strongly supported Pakistan’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Adequate military relations are also established between Russia and Pakistan. Both countries are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. In 2014, Pakistan and Russia started joint defence cooperation which includes sharing military intelligence information, joint military exercises and sale of military equipment. They have participated in five joint military exercises which started in 2016. These joint exercises are proof of exemplary cooperation between the two countries against terrorism.
Army Chiefs Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, General Raheel Sharif and General Qamar Javed Bajwa have visited Moscow. Nawaz Sharif made an official visit to Russia in 1999. At that time, Boris Yeltsin was the President of Russia. General Pervez Musharraf also did not adopt an anti-Russian policy. In the last days of his power, the Prime Minister of Russia made an important visit to Pakistan. In 2017, President Putin and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, in which the promotion of mutual cooperation was reiterated. Similarly, Imran Khan also visited Moscow and held talks with President Putin to increase bilateral cooperation. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken this series forward.
An important development in these bilateral relations took place when the first shipment of 45 thousand tons of Russian crude oil reached Pakistan. Pakistan paid for Russian crude oil in Chinese currency. India has been using the tension with Russia, against us for a long time. Russia provided all possible help to India in strengthening its defence, but when India reached out to America for relations, America welcomed it at the expense of Pakistan. On the other hand, after the Indo-Pak War of 1965, the fall of Dhaka and the Afghan-Soviet War, America turned its eyes away from Pakistan and plunged Pakistan into its long war against terrorism. The current situation suggests that Russia has become active again to play its role in the region. This is the reason why India is highly frustrated; suffering from anger and aim to become policeman of the region with America’s help.
China’s economic growth has brought America to a new crossroads. The target of the “Quad”, an alliance formed by the US and its allies to make China isolated. Pakistan’s growing relations with important and big countries like China and Russia are a sign of development and stability for us, these relations will also send a solid message to countries that do not want to see Pakistan develop and prosper. In the context of Pakistan’s strategic importance and influence, spread of non-state actors such as Daesh and the growing threat of terrorism in the region; cordial relations with Islamabad are in Russia’s own interest. The formation of a new bloc has become inevitable to break the expansionist ambitions of America and India in the region. In this regard, cordial relations between Pakistan and Russia can improve the US’s distorted power balance in the region.
—The writer is contributing columnist.
