PAK-RUSSIA RELATIONS: IMPACTS

The rollercoaster ride with USA has left

the Pakistani government and the masses
bewildered and windswept. Economic and
military sanctions as well as the
continuous sovereignty breaches have
also been a constant stitch in Pakistani
side. Pakistan in order to balance out the
diplomatic relations has now turned
towards the Asian giant, Russia.
“There are no permanent friends or
foes in international relations.”
The well-worn above statement has
finally developed a meaning for Pakistani
policy makers, who previously have
looked at the geographical vicinity with
American-tinted goggles. Russia has
finally cracked hole in its icy policy
towards Pakistan. This change is a result
of the broadening of strategic vision
which Russia is slowly adopting in order
to compete China for being the regional
power. This sudden stir in the lobbies
comes with the successful bilateral visits
of both political and military dignitaries
between Pakistan and Russia.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE:
History could not have seen two more
dissimilar states such as Pakistan and
Russia. The two countries have always
been at the two opposite poles whether
we look at them in mirrors of religion or
basic ideology.
 Foreign Policy:
Russia is the inheritor of the soviet
mantle! A state reminiscent of
communism and strong values of
nationalism, Russia stands a universe
apart from the ideological embodiment of
religion i.e. Pakistan. The foreign policies
of the two are also quite understandably
different from one another in so many
respects. Some of which are as follows:
1. Russia has a deep and time tested
strategic alliance with our arch rivals,
India.
2. Our oldest ally and benefactor, the
United States of America, on the other
hand is antithesis to the influence and
growth of Russia and its ideology.
3. The stiff history of relationship
between Pakistan and Russia can
easily be called the off shoot of the
traditional Communist vs. Capitalist
block. Pakistan being an Islamic
republic has never been a capitalist
state, but as they say:
A man is known by the
company he keeps.
A state similarly reflects its indigenous
interests through its strong diplomatic
alliances.
 4. Pakistani land has been indirectly
utilized (through our own permission
of course), against the Soviet Army
invasion of Afghanistan.
To cap this debate on foreign policy we
can just say one thing that:
“Pakistan has always preferred
distant allies over immediate
neighbors.”
And of course time has called this policy
bluff.
 Chronological View of relations:
Era wise glance at the events and
diplomatic scenarios shows an irregular
and strained nature of events. Such as:
1. Start of diplomatic relations
between the two states was on May
1st 1948.
2. The 1958 military coup d'état
which was pretty much US-backed
 brought a serious breach between the
two countries.
3. During the two wars in 1965 and
1970, the relations between the two
remained strained as Russia’s military
support to India was no secret.
4. The era of President Ayub Khan
(1966-1971) was a peak time for
trade and cultural exchange.
5. Constant arms sale to India from
Russia has been like a dangling sword
right on Pakistan’s head.
MoUs signed in 2007 regarding oil trade
were also a turning tide towards the
good.

SOME RECENT DEVELOPMENTS:

The current year has seen bilateral
visits of a highly significant nature from
 both sides. Mutually correspondent
visits were of General Ashfaq Pervez
Kayani and Russian foreign minister,
Sergey Viktorovich on the same day.
1. Aims of the visits:
Objectives of the bilateral visits
underlie the following overlapping
areas:
a. Regional goals
b. Global challenges
c. Economic cooperation
d. Strategic alliance
Russia rings our doorbell with attractive
economic offers, such as:
a. Modernization & Expansion of
PSM:
Russia has offered about 300-500
million US dollars for the project of
expanding and developing the
Pakistan Steel Mills.
b. Power Plant in Jamshoro:
 Russian assistance in this project can
produce more than 500 MW of energy
which can go a long way in solving
crisis of Pakistan.
c. Investment in Thar Coal
Project:
A Russian private investor, Kirsan
Ilyumzhinov has offered a handsome
5.5 billion US dollars.
d. Development in Railway Sector
Economic packages come hand in hand
with a reliable strategic support
package. The inclination of Russian
government towards establishment of
such an alliance may have several
connotations both overt and covert. Let
us have a look:
1. Supporting Pakistani stance on
terrorism and acknowledging the
sacrifices made by the government
and military factions. This is an
 indirect and subtle way of defying
their old rivals, the Americans.
Specifically when the usual formal
“snubbing” that Pakistan receives is:
“To do more….”, such appreciation
comes as a breath of fresh air.
2. Public endorsement of Pakistan’s
membership of SCO (Shanghai
Cooperation Organization). This is a
declaration of regional unity among
Asian countries led by China and
Russia in face of the looming American
threat. Then add Pakistan to the
equation and BAM! There you have it!
The Russian NATO!
3. Loud support of the matter of
upholding Pakistan’s national integrity.
Russian media sectors have
repeatedly condemned drone attacks
as inhumane acts that are humiliating
for the sovereignty of Pakistan. Thus
speaking out against the nosy foreign
 policy of America is also a firm gesture
at the part of Russian government.
4. Possible military exchanges have
been promised and the tempting
offers of the second-best military
might of the world are an indication of
the start of strong and long-term
strategic relations. Mi-17 helicopters
and T-80 UD Tanks are also in the
proposed future sales.

All this and much more can be

won by shaking this hand but let’s
pause and think about the
reasons of such bounties.

WHY IS RUSSIA TILTING TOWARDS

PAKISTAN?
As the world enters an age of tough
economic survival, grave religious
intolerance and thinning energy
reservoirs, countries are forced to change
priorities and turn their foreign policies
around. Thus without a shred of
sentimentalism, Russia shook hands with
an ideologically religious state of Pakistan
whose very existence it had not
acknowledge, earlier. This shift has its
reasons:
1. Attractive Geo-political
location:
Pakistan, at the crossroads of the
enriched Central Asian states and the
Gulf, is a geopolitical hotspot of transit
trade and strategic unity. Thus Russia has
taken these steps to reach and dip in the
warm and trade-friendly waters of
Pakistan.
2. Pakistan as a Gateway to a
stable Afghanistan:
Russia wants to quarantine Afghanistan
from American influence and for that
matter, the first and foremost
requirement is a stable political
government in Kabul as well as a sincere
effort at part of the immediate neighbor,
Pakistan. Through engaging Pakistan into
the peace building process in
Afghanistan, Russia would ensure a
friendly and resistance free future region.
3. Potential Arms Market:
India, the old ally and arms customer of
Russia has turned to France for MMRCA
(Medium-Multi- Role Combat Aircraft).
Also the nuclear arms deal between USA
and India worried Russia in terms of
both strategic as well as commercial
losses. On the other hand, China, also a
previous buyer of Russian arms has now
started producing its own weaponry.
 Thus a customer-hungry Russian militia
now eye Pakistan as an important
market of arms due to the constant
direct involvement in combating
militants.
4. Narcotics Smuggling:
For years, Russian authorities wrinkled
noses over the constant spilling of drugs
across the border from Afghanistan.
Russia hopes for a joint counter-
narcotics campaign with Pakistan.
5. IP Gas Project:
Russian energy company, Gazprom,
hopes to get the construction project of
the gas pipeline from Pakistan and Iran.

INDIAN REACTION:
Growing Pak-Russia ties have caused
knotted bellies among Indian think
tanks and lobbies. Indian fears circle the
possibility of strong military alliance
between their old friend and ancient
rival. Media has highlighted almost
similar concerns about this recent
development from different sectors of
Indian society. Everyone fears that
Russia may turn Pakistan into a military
might of South Asia while they content
themselves with reassurances that
time-tested friends such as Russians will
not turn their backs on them. Such a
dramatic approach at international level
is almost laughable. There is no room
for emotions in world politics.
Also the Indian fears are baseless. The
relations have only nudged forward
slightly and their strengthening will
require a great deal of trust and
confidence building measures.
Secondly, Russian relations with
Pakistan do not necessarily mean
distancing from India. Why do the two
states have to be mutually exclusive?
This can be turned into a joint strategic
alliance that can even go on to pacify
relations between the old rivals,
Pakistan and India.
AMERICAN REACTION:
Pakistan sneaks towards Russia as a
new regional friend while all the time
glancing nervously back at the uncle!
(America). What will the uncle say? On a
more serious note, Pakistan is an
independent state and has absolute
freedom to choose friends and allies.
Also the truth of the matter is that:
“One can change their friends, but
not their neighbors.”
Conventional rivalry between the two
powers, Russia and America, has always
been an undercurrent factor in deciding
their foreign policies. The trend of
tugging smaller states into their
respective power blocs shown by both
Russia and USA is nothing new. This
time, however, the situation is different.
1. Russian interests in Afghanistan
overlap with those of Pakistan’s. This
is a situation quite irritating for
America, as it considers Afghanistan
as its terrain of influence and any
interference can be considered as an
“invasion” into a region of its own
influence.
2. There is a clear strategy difference
between the two states, Russia and
USA, when it comes to the question of
security provision in Afghanistan.
Russia wants to insert the Collective
Security Treaty Organization but
 US has been foiling its attempts to do
so.
3. As American plan of deployment of
Ballistic Missile Defense system is
materialized, it brings solemn news for
both Russia and Pakistan. India’s
growing interest in forging defense
ties with USA is naturally a concerning
matter for Russia. On the other hand,
American military bestowments upon
Pakistan’s enemy state are an
alarming situation for the country to
handle. Thus it is only fair for Russia
and Pakistan to join hands too.
4. Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey
Lavrov’s statement clearly
condemned US-drone attacks in
regions of Pakistan on grounds of
probability of the presence of certain
militant leaders, as inhumane and as a
breach in Pakistan’s sovereignty.
These remarks clearly ignite anti-
 American sentiments in the
government and the general public.
5. Russian offer of counter-terrorism
equipment, exchange of military
personnel and joint military training
programs to Pakistan has cultivated a
feeling of unease in the American
government. Because Pakistan has
been on the receiving end of military
aid from America for so long, this
sudden turn of events is not in favor of
American strategic policy.
THINGS FOR PAKISTAN TO
CONSIDER:
The picture of harmonious relations
between Pakistan and Russia, no doubt
present favorable future prospects but
there are certain limitations to be
considered:
 Pakistan needs to understand that
Moscow can never be a complete
substitute for Washington.
 Russia is not that happy about the
religious extremism and intolerance in
Pakistan and its spillage in the
regional countries.
 Pakistan is not financially sound
enough to cut straight military deals
with Russia.
 Russia, like America is dubious about
the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear assets
and their transference into wrong
hands.
 Moscow, though very articulate in its
foreign policy, cannot cross India. It
still is the biggest market for Russian
arms.
 Last but not the least, How can we
move towards Russia without the
uncle (USA) getting angry? Lolz.
 FUTURE OF PAKISTAN AND RUSSIA
Pakistan has had more than its fair share
of foreign aid from the imperialistic West.
This pro-western foreign policy has been
faulty and destructive in more than one
ways. But brooding over what is done, is
a fool’s task. Now the regional power has
extended its hand, so without further ado,
we should shake it. A clever and rational
foreign policy at this crucial stage can
make Pakistan, indispensible for both USA
and Russia. We can finally slither out of
the “Aid chains” and forge trade alliances
with Russia. The magnitude of economic
benefits, that can be reaped are endless.
Also a sound neighborly alliance is a mere
logical and sagacious approach at the
moment, specifically in lieu of US
withdrawal from Afghanistan. By doing so,
we not only will secure our economic
future but will also be able to regain some
of the lost sovereign glory. This alliance
will bring economic prosperity, regional
stability and most importantly, a sense of
self-esteem to our victimized country.