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Pakistan–Russia relations

January 14, 2023

The Soviet Union (predecessor of the Russian Federation) and Pakistan first established the diplomatic and bilateral relations on 1 May 1948.[1]

Pakistan–Russia relations

Pakistan
Russia

Throughout the Cold War, the Soviet Union's relations with Pakistan saw ups and downs. From 1948 to 1958, the Soviet Union enjoyed relatively healthy and strong relations with Pakistan when it was under civilian control, but they went ultimately cold soon after the US-backed 1958 military coup d'état, although attempts to warm relations were made after the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war. However, in the 1980s, relations began to deteriorate again, and during the Soviet–Afghan War, Pakistan played a key role against the Soviet Union by supplying FIM-92 Stinger missiles to the Mujahideen backed by the aid of the United States. The Stinger Missiles played a key role by accurately shooting down Soviet helicopters, killing thousands of Soviet Air Force troops. Pakistan is credited for playing a key role for allying and supporting the West during this time period of the Cold War. In response to ongoing Soviet support to communist Afghanistan regarding the Durand Line issue during the late 1970s and 1980s, Pakistan began to support Mujahideen rebels attempting to overthrow the Soviet-backed communist regime and was later aided by the United States, United Kingdom, China and Saudi Arabia. This led to the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Due to the condemnation of Soviet actions in Afghanistan, Pakistan was one of the 80 total countries that boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics scheduled in Moscow.

In recent years ties between Russia and Pakistan have warmed as a countermeasure to warming ties between India and the United States. The two countries carried out their first-ever joint military drills in 2016.[2] Pakistan and Russia signed an agreement for the Pakistan Stream Gas pipeline from Karachi to Kasur,[3] and reached a price accord by December 2016.[4] Pakistan has also granted Russia access to a warm water port in the Arabian sea (Gwadar Port).[5]

On May 1, 2018, Pakistan celebrated the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Russia.[6][7][8]

Historical relations

See also: Peshawar Conspiracy Cases and Socialism in Pakistan

Soviet relations with Pakistan (then part of the British Raj) dated back to 1922 after the Bolshevik Revolution. From 1922 to 1927, people who entered from the Soviet Union into the territory (now Pakistan) held by the British Empire, attempted to start a communist revolution against the British Indian Empire. The series of coups known as Peshawar Conspiracy Cases; the British Empire was terrified after the intelligence on attempted communist revolution in India were revealed to authorities. From 1947 to 1950 and 1965–1969, the trade, educational, and cultural exchanges between two countries increased. But the Soviet efforts were undermined by the Soviet Union by itself when Soviet criticism of Pakistan's position in the 1971 war with India weakened bilateral relations, and many people of Pakistan believed that the August 1971 Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Peace and Cooperation encouraged India invasion of East Pakistan. Subsequent Soviet arms sales to India, amounting to billions of dollars on concessional terms, reinforced this argument. The USSR also kept vetoing every resolution regarding the East Pakistan situation that Pakistan brought to the United Nations.

Relations with Soviet Union: 1947–1991

Democratic governments (1947–1958)

Main article: Pakistan–Soviet Union relations
See also: Soviet-style economic planning in Pakistan, Communism in Pakistan, and Pakistan Communist Party

The Soviet Union–Pakistan relations (Russian: Союз Советских Социалистических Республик -Пакистан) dated back to 1948 when Moscow directed a farewell message to then-Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan. Pakistan gained independence during the penultimate times of cold war, and the Russian military involvement in Afghanistan had a long history, going back to Tsarist times in the so-called "Great Game" between Russia and Great Britain.[9]

Pakistan cannot afford to wait. She must take her friends where she finds them...!

— Liaquat Ali Khan calling the Soviet Union and China., [10]

According to the studies conducted by the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISS), the Soviet Union did not welcomed the partition of Bengal and Punjab, fluctuating from cool to antagonistic and hostile relations.[9] Moscow gave vehement criticism to United Kingdom for partitioning the region, regarded as the "Divide and rule strategy of foreign policy of Great Britain, and had earlier labeled the Muslim League as a tool of the British, from its very inception.[9] Joseph Stalin and officials at Moscow did not send any congratulatory message to Governor-General Jinnah—founder of Pakistan.[9][11][12] Rather the Soviet Union extended relations after the death of Jinnah, after sending the invitation to Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan on April 1948.[9] During the 1947 war, Soviet Union remained neutral non-committal attitude, while the Western countries moved the Kashmir dispute to United Nations Security Council, to settle the dispute.[9] The Status quo was more acceptable to India, not by Pakistan, initially influence Moscow to vote in favor of India in 1947.[9] During 1947–1953, Pakistan was an early member of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) facing the challenging issues involving the economic default, internal unrest, challenges in foreign policy, constitutional crises, and the problems at the Constituent Assembly after the death of Jinnah.[9] Initially, Pakistan waited to see if any nation was willing to help the country to re-build its massive military and economical aid, and leading bureaucrat at this time, Sir Firoz Ali Khan had revealed that:

If the Hindus give (us) and Pakistan, then the Hindus are her best friends. If the British give it to her then the Brits are our best friends. If neither will give it to us the freedom..... Then the Russia is our best friend....

— Firoze Ali Khan, 1946, source[13]

In April 1948, at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Far East, Pakistan's foreign officers of Pakistan announced that "she (Pakistan) would accept aid from any source", but the Soviets did not respond to that request.[9] In 1948, Prime Minister Ali Khan made several attempts to the Soviet Union to establish relations, but the Soviets remained quiet. In April 1948, Foreign minister Sir Zafarullah Khan held talks with Deputy Foreign minister Andrei Gromyko, subjecting the diplomatic relation.[14] During this time, Pakistan saw relations with the Soviet Union from the prism of relations with India just as these days it sees ties with the United States.[14]

There are important divergences of outlook between Pakistan, with its Islamic background, and the Soviet Union with its background of Marxism which is atheistic.... Pakistan had noticed the subservience which was forced upon the allies of the Soviet Union... Furthermore, there was the question whether Russia could supply the aid, both material and technical, which Pakistan so urgently needed...

— Pakistan Institute of International Affairs, 1950, [14]

However, the policy was changed after Soviet Union witnessed two events particularly forcing them to respond to Pakistan when India decided to remain within the Commonwealth Nations, it was a clear sign that India was leaning towards the Western countries under the U.S. auspices.[14] The second event was the Indian premier Jawaharlal Nehru's announcement to pay the state visit to the United States on May 7, 1949. To a reaction, Soviet Union extended an invitation to Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, in 1949 to visit Moscow, becoming the first Prime Minister from the Commonwealth of Nations to visit the communist country, but Soviet Union herself did not materialized the dates or the plans.[14] Instead, Prime Minister Ali Khan went onto paid a state visit to United States, taking the largest diplomatic and military convey with him, a clear rebuff to Soviet Union.[14] According to studies completed by Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA), the real motives, goals and objectives, were to an economic and technical assistance. "There are important divergences of outlook between Pakistan, with its Islamic background, and the Soviet Union with its background of Marxism which is atheistic. ... Pakistan had noticed the subservience which was forced upon the allies of the Soviet Union. ... Furthermore, there was the question whether Russia could supply the aid, both material and technical, which Pakistan so urgently needed..." PIIA noted.[14]

The relations suffered setback when members of Communist Party led by communist Faiz Ahmad Faiz, sponsored by Major-General Akbar Khan, hatched a coup d'état against Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan in 1950 (See Rawalpindi conspiracy case).[14] Soon, three years after, Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan assassinated while campaigning for his electoral term. During 1954–58, the relations were strained and hostility against each other as time passes. In 1954, Pakistan became a member of SEATO and CENTO in 1955, which Soviet Union did not welcome, overtly opting the Pro-Indian policy and regarding the Kashmir as part of India.[9] As a result of 1954–55 elections, Prime Minister Huseyn Suhrawardy, a left-wing Prime Minister, made deliberate attempts to improve relations. On March–April 1954, a delegation of the Soviet cultural troupe toured Pakistan and a festival of the Soviet films was held in Karachi.[9] To reciprocate this, the Pakistan Government also sent a delegation to study the Soviet industrial and agricultural development In 1956, Soviet premier Nikolai Bulganin offered technical and scientific assistance to Prime Minister Suhrawardy for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, offering Soviet contribution after Suhrawardy submitted the plan to established the nuclear power against India. In 1958, Soviet Union agreed to give Pakistan aid in agriculture, economic, science, control of pest, flood control, desalination, soil erosion and technical assistance to Pakistan.[9] In 1958, Pakistan and Soviet Union finally established an oil consortium, Pakistan Oilfields, and expressing interests in establishing the country's first steel mills.[9]

Military dictatorships (1958–1971)

In July 1957, Prime Minister Suhrawardy approved the leasing of the secret ISI installation, Peshawar Air Station, to CIA.[15] After commencing the military coup d'état against President Iskander Mirza, Army Commander Ayub Khan visited the United States, further enhancing relations with the U.S. while at same time, trying establishing link with Soviet Union through Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.[15]

Pakistan felt deceived because the U.S. had kept her in the dark about such clandestine spy operations launched from Pakistan’s territory

— General K.M. Arif, Chief of Army Staff., [16]

The U-2 incident worsened relations between the Soviet Union and Pakistan.[17] General Khalid Mahmud Arif, former chief of army staff, wrote of the incident that, "Pakistan felt deceived because the U.S. had kept her in the dark about such clandestine spy operations launched from Pakistan’s territory".[18]

The Soviet Union paid back its revenge on Indo-Pakistani war of 1965, emerged as the biggest supplier of military hardware to India.[19] India on other hand, distanced from the Western countries, developed close relations with the Soviet Union.[19] Soviet Union and India used the diplomacy, convincing the U.S. and Western powers to keep a ban on Pakistan's military and hardware.[20] After the 1965 war, the arms race between India and Pakistan became even more asymmetric and India was outdistancing Pakistan by far.[21] However, in 1968, Soviet Union and Pakistan made an arms deal.[22]

Relations with West and East Pakistan

The Soviet Union had far better relations with East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh), and had strong ties with Communist Party after successfully staging the protest of Bengali Language Movement to give national recognition to the language as compare to Urdu in 1956 constitution.[23] The Communist Party had ensure the complete elimination of Pakistan Muslim League once and for all, leading the collapse of central government of Pakistan Muslim League in the federal government.[23] The tendency of democracy and the Anti-American sentiment was greater in East-Pakistan, which highly benefited the Soviet Union in 1971.[16] When the mutual defence treaty, following the arrival of military advsers from the MAAG group, which was announced in February 1954, there was a great outcry in East-Pakistan. Many demonstrations, led by communist party were held and the 162 newly elected members of East-Pakistan Parliament signed a statement, which denounced Pakistan's government for signing a military pact with United States.[16]

In West-Pakistan, the Soviet relations had improved after the formation of leading democratic socialist Pakistan Peoples Party.[15] The tendency of socialism was greater in West Pakistan, in contrast to East Pakistan were the tendency of communism was at its height.[15] After the 1965 war, Soviet relations with socialist mass, Awami National Party, Pakistan People's Party, and the Pakistan Socialist Party, impulsively improved. In 1972, the West-Pakistan Parliament passed the resolution which called for establishing ties with Soviet Union.[15] During the 1980s when the purged took place under the Zia regime, the socialist members escaped to the Soviet Union through Afghanistan, seeking the political asylum there.[15]

Role in Indo-Pakistani war of 1971

The Soviet Union played a decisive role in the 1971 Winter war, first signing the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.[24] The Soviet Union sympathized with the Bangladeshis, and supported the Indian Army and Mukti Bahini during the war, recognizing that the independence of Bangladesh would weaken the position of its rivals—the United States, Saudi Arabia, and China.[24]

On 6 December and 13 December 1971, the Soviet Navy dispatched two groups of cruisers and destroyers and a nuclear submarine armed with nuclear missiles from Vladivostok;[24] they trailed U.S. Task Force 74 into the Indian Ocean from 18 December 1971 until 7 January 1972. The Soviets also had a nuclear submarine to help ward off the threat posed to India by USS Enterprise task force in the Indian Ocean.[25][26] The Soviet Navy's presence was threatening for Pakistan, with the Soviet nuclear submarines' K-320 and Charlie, movements were picked up by the Pakistan Navy's submarines.[24] The Pakistan Navy's submarines Ghazi, Hangor, and Mangor had sent solid evidence of Soviet Navy's covert involvement helping the Indian Navy, and Soviet Navy's own secret operations against the Pakistan Navy.[24] Pakistan Navy avoided aggressive contacts with the Soviet Navy due to possible nuclear retaliation by Soviet nuclear submarines in Karachi.[24] In 2012, at an official press release in the Russian Consulate-General Karachi, the Russian ambassador remarked that the former Soviet stance against Pakistan in 1971 did "somewhat embarrassed our relations".[27]

Democratic government (1971–1977)

Main articles: Soviet Contribution to Pakistan Steel Mills, Nationalization in Pakistan, and 1977 Pakistani coup d'état
 
Map showing distance from Peshawar to Moscow.

The democratic socialist alliance led by then-Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto made an effort to improve relations with the Soviet Union, and for the first time in Pakistani history, the Soviet Union's ties with Pakistan began to warm and relations were quickly improved. Reviving his foreign policy, Bhutto relieved Pakistan from SEATO and CENTO, breaking off the relations with the United States under President Jimmy Carter. In 1974, Bhutto paid a tiring and lengthy state visit to Soviet Union, becoming the first Prime Minister since the independence of Pakistan in 1947. Bhutto and his delegation was met with great jubilation, a warm-heated celebration took place after Bhutto was received by Alexei Kosygin in Moscow.[28] The honorary guard of honor was bestowed by the Soviet Armed Forces, and strong interaction was made during Bhutto's democratic era.[28] Bhutto also met with Leonid Brezhnev where Pakistan reached agreements with Soviet Union on mutual trust, cooperation, technical assistance, and friendship.[29]

While there, Bhutto succeeded to convince the Soviet Union to establish the integrated steel mills, which prompted the Soviet Union to provide funds for the billion dollar project.[30] Prime Minister Bhutto made a deliberate attempt to warm relations with Russia as he was trying to improve relations with the Communist bloc.[30] Bhutto sought to develop and alleviate the Soviet-Pak Relations, as the Soviet Union established Pakistan Steel Mills in 1972.[31] The foundation stone for this gigantic project was laid on 30 December 1973 by the then Prime Minister Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Facing inexperience for the erection work of the integrated steel mill, Bhutto requested Soviet Union to send its experts.[31] Soviet Union sends dozens of advisors and experts, under Russian scientist Mikhail Koltokof, who supervised the construction of this integrated Steel Mills, with a number of industrial and consortium companies financing this mega-project.[31]

From 1973 to 1979, Soviet Union and Pakistan enjoyed a strong relationship with each other which also benefited the Soviet Union.[30] This interaction was short lived after popular unrest began to take place after the 1977 elections.[32] With United States support, the CIA-sponsored operation codenamed Fair Play removed Bhutto from power in 1977. The Soviet relations with Pakistan deteriorated on April 4, 1979, when Bhutto was executed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.[32] Earlier, Leonid Brezhnev, Alexei Kosygin, and other members of the Politburo had sent repeated calls for clemency to CMLA General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq who forcefully rejected the Soviet requests.[32] Breznev maintained the issue of Bhutto was Pakistan's internal matter but did not wish to see him executed. When Bhutto was hanged, Brezhnev condemned the act out of "purely humane motives".[32]

Military dictatorship (1977–1988)

 
Communist Afghanistan: Map showing areas involving heavy fighting. Note: Areas adjacent to Balochistan province are remained untouched (white region, south) from the fighting while the NWFP (north-west) inflicted with heavy fighting.

Shortly after the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, military ruler General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq called for a meeting of senior military members and technocrats of his military government.[33] At this meeting, General Zia-ul-Haq asked the Chief of Army Staff General Khalid Mahmud Arif (veteran of 1965 and 1971 war) and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Muhammad Shariff (who was made POW by India during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971) to lead a specialized civil-military team to formulate a geo-strategy to counter the Soviet aggression.[33] At this meeting, the Director-General of the ISI at that time, Lieutenant-General Akhtar Abdur Rahman advocated for an idea of covert operation in Afghanistan by arming the Islamic extremist, and was loudly heard saying: "Kabul must burn! Kabul must burn!".[33] As for Pakistan, the Soviet war with Islamist mujaheddin was a complete revenge in retaliation for the Soviet Union's long support of regional rival, India, notably during the 1971 war, which led the loss of East Pakistan.[33]

In 1980, the relationship took a dangerous turn, when Soviet press, notable "Pravda" and other Soviet commentators, began to issue threatening statements towards Pakistan.[34] Soviet Commentator, V Baikov, went far enough to say: The axis of United States and China, is trying to secure a base for its rapid deployment force, presumable offering F-16 fighter plans in that view."[34] Another Soviet commentator "threateningly" asked Pakistan that "If she (Pakistan) thought about where the United States was pulling it in its hostilities with Afghanistan; their aggression was taking place in the vicinity of the USSR".[34] In February 1980, a delegation of TASS in New York City maintains that, "One can see the contours of dangerous plans aimed at Pakistan's arch rivals— India, Soviet Union, and Afghanistan.[34] The change of administration in 1980 and immediate verbal threat of Soviet Union to Pakistan, brought the United States and Pakistan on a six-year trade, economic and military agreement, valuing approximately ~32.5 billions US dollars.[34]

The U.S. viewed the conflict in Afghanistan as an integral Cold War struggle, and the CIA provided assistance to anti-Soviet forces through the ISI, in a program called Operation Cyclone.[35][36] The siphoning off of aid weapons, in which the weapons logistics and coordination were put under the Pakistan Navy in the port city of Karachi, contributed to disorder and violence there, while heroin entering from Afghanistan to pay for arms contributed to addiction problems.[37] The Pakistan Navy coordinated the foreign weapons into Afghanistan, while some of its high-ranking admirals were responsible for storing the weapons in the Navy logistics depot, later coordinated the weapons supply to Mujaheddin, out of complete revenge of Pakistan Navy's brutal loss and defeat at the hands of the Soviet backed Indian Navy in 1971.[33]

In November 1982, General Zia attended the funeral, in Moscow, of Leonid Brezhnev, the late General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko and new Secretary General Yuri Andropov met with Zia there. Andropov expressed indignation over Pakistan's covert support of the Afghan resistance against the Soviet Union and its satellite state, Communist Afghanistan. Zia took his hand and assured him, "General Secretary, believe me, Pakistan wants nothing but very good relations with the Soviet Union".[38] According to Gromyko, Zia's sincerity convinced them, but Zia's actions didn't live up to his words.[38] Ironically, Zia directly dealt with the Israel, working to build covert relations with Israel, allowing the country to actively participate in Soviet–Afghan War. Helped by ISI, the Mossad channeled Soviet reversed engineered weapons to Afghanistan.[39] In Charlie Wilson's own word, Zia reported to have remarked to Israeli intelligence service: "Just don't put any stars of David on the boxes".[39]

Democratic governments (1989–1991)

 
Mothers of Soviet soldiers meeting at the Pakistani Embassy, Moscow appealing to the Bhutto government for rescuing Soviet soldiers from captivity. It was not until 1992 when the Sharif government released the details of soldiers.

Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto (daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto) authorized further aggressive military operations in Afghanistan to topple the fragile communist regime and to end the Soviet influence.[40] One of her military authorizations was a military action in Jalalabad of Afghanistan in retaliation for the Soviet Union's long unconditional support of India, a proxy war in Pakistan, and Pakistan's loss in 1971 war.[40] This operation was "a defining moment for her [Benazir's] government" to prove the loyalty to Pakistan Armed Forces.[40] This operation planned by then-Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant-General Hamid Gul, with inclusion of U.S. ambassador to Pakistan Robert Oakley.[40] Known as Battle of Jalalabad, it was intended to gain a conventional victory on Soviet Union after Soviet Union had withdrawn its troops. But the operation failed miserably and the Afghan army supported by Soviet scuds won the battle resulting in ISI chief being sacked by the Prime Minister[40]

At the end of years of Cold War, Soviet Union announced to establish a 1 GW commercial nuclear power plant in Pakistan, but after witnessing its aging technology Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, later followed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, did not authorize the purchase and showed little interest in aging Soviet technology.[40]

In 1992, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif released the details and company of Soviet soldiers to the Russian government when Alexander Rutskoy visited the country, after meeting in a committee led by Deputy Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Shahryar Khan.[41]

Relations with the Russian Federation: 1991-present

 
17 Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya street Moscow, Russia, where the Embassy of Pakistan located.

After the Soviet Union troop withdrawal withdrawing the combatant troops from Communist Afghanistan, relations began to normalize with Pakistan. In the wake of fall of communism, Russian-Pakistan relations were warmed rapidly. In 1989, Soviet ambassador to Pakistan offered Pakistan to install a commercial nuclear power plant in the country, however after U.S. intervention, the plans were sent into cold storage. In 1994–95, Benazir Bhutto attempted to warm relations with Russia but suffered a major setback when Benazir Bhutto's government recognized Taliban-controlled government in Afghanistan as legitimate entity. In 1996, Russia willingly agreed to launch Pakistan's second satellite, Badr-B, from its Baikonur Cosmodrome for the lowest possible charges.

 
Pervez Musharraf shakes hands with Vladimir Putin (left), 2002.

In 1997, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attempted to warm relations with Russia after sending farewell messages to Russian Federation. In 1998, although Russia congratulated India for conducting second nuclear tests, (see Pokhran-II), Russia did not immediately criticize Pakistan for performing its nuclear tests (see Chagai-I and Chagai-II) by the weekend of May 1998. In April 1999, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif paid an important state visit to Kremlin, this was the first trip to Moscow paid by a Pakistani Prime Minister in 25 years, but no breakthrough was made.[42] In 1999, Russia welcomed Pakistan and India for making a breakthrough in their relations with the Lahore Declaration but vehemently criticized Pakistan for holding it responsible for the outbreak of Indo-Pakistani War of 1999. Meanwhile, Russia played a major role in ending the war but remained hostile towards Pakistan.

Russia condemned the 1999 Pakistani coup d'état against Nawaz Sharif that removed him from power. On 19 April 2001, the Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Losyukov paid a state visit to Pakistan, and both countries agreed to co-operate in economic development and to work towards peace and prosperity in the region.[43] In the wake of September 11, 2001 attacks, the relations were warmed rapidly when Pakistan denounced the Taliban and joined the NATO coalition to hunt down jihadist organizations and al-Qaeda. The decision of Pakistan to join the international struggle against terrorism has led to Russia-Pakistan relations being greatly improved. Russia also played an integral role to ease off the nuclear 2001 Indo-Pakistan tensions.

In November 2016, Pakistan also decided to grant Russia access to the Gwadar Port, a warm water sea port as has done to both Iran and Turkmenistan.[44]

Improvement in relations

We must know where we deceived ourselves to avoid being deceived again.... Russia is one of our closest neighbors... And (could) be an important partner.

— Ardeshir Cowasjee and Dawn News, Cited source[45]
 
Dmitry Medvedev (right) meeting Asif Zardari (left) in 2010.

Russia vowed its support for Pakistan in its struggle against the Taliban militants. In 2007, the relations between Pakistan and the Russian Federation were reactivated after the 3-day official visit of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. He was the first Russian Prime Minister to visit Pakistan in the post Soviet-era in 38 years. He had "in-depth discussions" with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

 
Dmitry Medvedev engaged in conversation with Asif Zardari, 2010.

The major focus of the visit was to improve bilateral relations with particular emphasis on ways and means to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries. Under the Presidency of Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani, relations between Pakistan and Russia improved significantly. In 2010, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of Russia stated that Russia was against developing strategic and military ties with Pakistan because of Russian desire to place emphasis on strategic ties with India.[citation needed]

 
Hina Rabbani Khar meeting with Russian deputy foreign minister A.N. Borodavkin, 2012.

In 2011, Russia changed its policy and Putin publicly endorsed Pakistans bid to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and said that Pakistan was a very important partner in South Asia and the Muslim world for Russia. Putin offered Russia's assistance in expansion of Pakistan Steel Mills and provision of technical support for the Guddu and Muzaffargarh power plants and Russia was interested in developing the Thar Coal Project[46] In 2011, Russia strongly condemned the NATO strike in Pakistan and the Russian foreign minister stated it is unacceptable to violate the sovereignty of a state, even when planning and carrying out counter-insurgent operations.[47] In 2012, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced to pay a state visit to Pakistan soon after his re-election, later he cancelled it, citing other crucial engagement.[48] To offset the diplomatic setback caused by this unexpected cancellation of much-anticipated visit, Putin's sent his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.[49]

Meanwhile, Pakistan army chief general Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited Moscow from October 4 for three-day official visit. Where he was received warmly by Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and Russian Ground Forces Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) Colonel General Vladimir Chirkin.[50]

On 5-August-2013 Colonel General Vladimir Chirkin visited Pakistan where he was received by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The two generals discussed matters of mutual interest with emphasis on improving defence cooperation, army-to-army relations the security situation in the region, especially in Afghanistan post 2014.[51]

In a press conference, the ambassador of Russia has agreed to sell helicopters to Pakistan to assist the country with terrorism and security related issues. Russia was still holding talks with Pakistan on the supply of the combat helicopters, and had lifted its embargo on the arms supply to Pakistan. "Such a decision has been taken. We are holding talks on supplying the helicopters," head of state-owned Rostec, Sergei Chemezov said, adding that the negotiations were about Russian Mi-35 Hind attack helicopters. Russia has long been the largest supplier of arms to India, which is the world's top arms buyer. But Moscow's move to supply Islamabad came as New Delhi is seeking to modernise its armed forces' ageing hardware and has recently chosen to buy arms from Israel, France, Britain and the United States.

Pakistan and Russia wrapped up their first strategic dialogue on 31-August-2013. At the talks held at the foreign secretaries' level in Moscow, the Pakistani side was led by Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani and Russia's First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Georgiyevich Titov led his side. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov also participated in the consultations. The dialogue, the Foreign Office says, lays an institutional framework for building closer relations between the two countries through discussions for cooperation in political, economic, defence and other sectors. The two sides exchanged views on regional and international developments. Broadly, Pakistan and Russia agreed for more high-level contacts, closely coordinating positions on regional and international issues, and expanding trade and investment relations and cooperation in the field of energy and power generation.[52] In July 2015 The COAS General Raheel Sharif paid a visit to Russia where he was received by the military leadership of Russia at Kremlin. This was the 1st visit of An COAS to Russia. He was given a Guard of Honour and while laying wreath at the Tomb of Unknown Soldier the National Anthem of Pakistan was played. This was seen as an improvement in ties as Russia's longtime ally India moved towards US. Pakistan, Russia signs a landmark defence deal in 2015. This deal includes sale of four Mi-35 ‘Hind E’ attack helicopters to Pakistan. Russia is also interested in joining CPEC, which will benefit CPEC and strengthen Pakistan's economy. Another deal in 2015 includes Russia to invest $2bn in project of constructing north–south gas pipeline, first phase of which is expected to conclude by Dec 2017.

Economic and geopolitical convergence

 
President Putin meets Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif

In 1990, Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan sent a fare well message to Moscow in an attempt to set up the economic coordination between the two countries.[53] In 1991, Benazir Bhutto headed a high-level economic delegation to Central Asia and Russia after the collapse of Soviet Union.[53]

 
Senior military officials and Defence Attaché of Pakistan and Russia, jointly working together at the communications tent at a Nigerian Air Force Base.

In 2003, the bilateral trade between Russia and Pakistan reached to 92 million US dollar, which increased to 411.4 million in 2006.[27] The bilateral trade between each country reached to 630 million in 2008 and ~400 million in 2009.[27] During this following year, both countries established the "Russian–Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation to cooperation in science and technology and education.[27]

In 2011, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and Vladimir Putin held a frank discussion in a cordial atmosphere on the 10th Heads of Government meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.[54] Russia is currently financing the mega-energy project, CASA-1000, transmitting power generation from Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan; Russia has provided 500Mn US dollars for the CASA-1000 power transmission project.[54] In 2011, both countries initiated the work on the framework n the proposed Free Trade Agreement and currency swap arrangement to boost bilateral trade and further strengthen their economic ties.[54]

In 2012, Russia and Pakistan have covertly developed geopolitical and strategic relations behind the scenes of world politics for the last two years, as Stephen Blank of Strategic Studies Institute maintained.[54] As the NATO-led ISAF and the US Forces, Afghanistan Command, is planning to depart Afghanistan in 2014, the Russian Federation came to a conclusion that Pakistan is a crucial player in Afghanistan and that, as NATO withdraws, it becomes all the more urgent for Moscow to seek some sort of modus vivendi with Islamabad.[54]

In November 2019, Pakistan decided to solve a Soviet-era trade dispute with Russia, in which the Pakistani government should pay $93.5 million to Russia within 90 days. The settlement would pave the way for Russia to invest over $8 billion in Pakistan.[55]

The Special Representative of Pakistan for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, noted after visit in Moscow on September 9, 2022, that both sides share similar views on the situation in Afghanistan and plan to continue consultations on this issue in the future. [56]

Cooperation in the field of energy

Cooperation in the field of energy between Pakistan and Russia occupies an important place in bilateral relations, since the Russian Federation is an advanced power in the field of oil and gas production, and Pakistan, in turn, is a developing country with huge energy needs.

In October 2015, the partners signed an Intergovernmental Agreement on the construction of the North-South gas pipeline from Karachi to Lahore. In addition, an Intergovernmental Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) was signed on October 13, 2017. In September 2018, the countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of an offshore gas pipeline, and as a follow-up, on February 6, 2019, Russian Gazprom and the Pakistani company Inter State Gas Company Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding a feasibility study of gas supplies from the Middle East to South Asia.[57]

In January 2022, Imran Khan strongly supports Pakistan Stream gas pipeline and imports of discounted Russian oil and wheat.[58]

In December 2022, Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik says the Pakistani government has held fruitful talks with Russia for import of cheap oil, diesel and gas.[59]

Military cooperation

Military-technical cooperation between Russia and Pakistan is under development. The Russian Federation had to establish relations with Pakistan, which were severed at the initiative of the USSR back in the 1980s. In 1996, Russia for the first time signed an agreement on the supply of multi-purpose Mi-17 helicopters to Pakistan. During the period from 1996 to 2004, the Russian Federation supplied about 70 helicopters to the partner.[60]

Increasing military cooperation between Islamabad and Moscow would not negatively impact Russia's ties with India, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in 2015, adding that Pak-Russia ties were improving in other sectors as well—including energy.[61] The two countries signed a defense cooperation agreement in 2014. As of early 2021, Moscow has supplied the Pakistan with a batch of Mi-35 attack helicopters and it has signed contracts with the Asian nation to deliver anti-tank systems, air defense weapons and small arms.[62] In addition, Islamabad intended to purchase another 10-12 units of such helicopters, and also showed interest in purchasing multi-purpose Su-35 fighters with a longer range than light Chinese JF-17s, which are in service with the Pakistani Air Force along with American F-16s.[63] Back in 2018, the telegram channel "Militarist" reported that Pakistan had finalized a contract for the purchase of 54 SU-35 fighters, however, this information was not confirmed.[64]

On August 7, 2018, during the visit to Pakistan of the Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Alexander Fomin, a contract was signed between Moscow and Islamabad, providing Pakistani servicemen with the opportunity to study at universities of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The agreement was signed following the results of the first meeting of the Russian-Pakistani Joint Military Advisory Committee (JMCC). Before signing this document, officers of the Pakistani army were trained in the United States.[65]

Russian Army War Games 2015

Pakistan Army actively participated in Russian Army War Games 2015 held in Russian Far east. Pakistan was also among the six countries that took part in Master of The Air Defense Battle Competition in August 2015 besides Russia, China, Egypt, Venezuela and Belarus.[citation needed]

"Friendship" ("Druzhba") exercises

 
President Putin meets Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Moscow on the eve of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

The first annual joint exercise between the Russian military and the Pakistan Army took place under the name "Friendship 2016". 70 Russians and 130 Pakistanis took part in the exercise, held from 24 September to 10 October 2016, in Cherat, in Pakistan's north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.[66] India had unsuccessfully asked Russia to call off the exercise as a gesture of "solidarity" following the 18 September 2016 militant attack on an Indian Army base, which the government of India had blamed on the government of Pakistan.[67]

From November 8 to 21, 2020, the 5th joint Russian-Pakistani Druzhba 2020 exercise was held. More than 150 servicemen of the armies of the two countries took part in the exercises. From the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, more than 70 military personnel of special purpose units of the 49th Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District were involved in the exercise.[68]

October 2021 — joint Russian-Pakistani exercise "Friendship-2021", at the Molkino training ground in the Krasnodar Territory. The main task of the exercises was to improve the ways of interaction when performing a wide range of tasks. Special attention was paid to the development of fighting skills in urban conditions and the use of a "consolidated assault company" in the liberation of settlements and objects captured by terrorists.[69]

From February 15 to 16, 2021, a detachment of ships of the Russian Navy, at the invitation of the Pakistani side, took part in the maritime phase of the multinational naval exercises "Aman-2021".[70]

During Russo-Ukrainian war

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Russia from February 23–24, 2022.[71] It was the first visit of any Pakistani ruler to Russia since 1999.[72]

Pakistan ‘abstains’ from voting as UN General Assembly censures Russia in March 2022,[73] and ‘remains neutral’.[74]

Dialogue at the SCO-2022 summit in Samarkand

Against the background of catastrophic floods in Pakistan in 2022 and possible food shortages, Russia, in addition to gas supplies, offered to supply wheat to Pakistan. [75] In addition, on the sidelines of the SCO summit, at a meeting with Shehbaz Sharif, Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned that pipeline gas supplies to Pakistan are possible and part of the infrastructure has already been created. In addition, according to the statements of the Minister of Defense of Pakistan, Russian President Vladimir Putin highly appreciated Pakistan's position on the Russian-Ukrainian war at the UN and at the international level. [76]

Post-flood relief in 2022

After the devastating floods in 2022, Russia provided assistance to Pakistan. Food, tents and water purification devices were handed over.[77]

Public opinion

Due to rapidly shifting global geopolitical interests spurred by the end of the Cold War and the ongoing U.S.-led War on Terror, Pakistani public opinion towards Russia has fluctuated in recent years, with 18% viewing Russia favorably in 2007, falling to 11% in 2011 and rising to 20% in 2012,[78] and according to the BBC World Service Poll, 9% of Pakistanis view Russian influence positively in 2010,[79] 14% in 2011,[80] falling to 12% in 2012,[81] and increasing to 18% in 2013.[82]

However, Pakistanis have generally rated Vladimir Putin's leadership poorly, with 7% expressing confidence in him in 2006, and only 3% in 2012,[83] and for the most part, a plurality of Russians have consistently rated Pakistan's influence negatively, with 13% expressing a positive view in 2008,[84] increasing slightly to 14% in 2010,[79] and falling to 8% in 2013.[82]

Diplomatic missions

Russia maintains an embassy in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad, and Pakistan has an embassy in Moscow in Russia.

Pakistani Embassy

The Pakistani embassy is located in Moscow.

  • Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan[85]

Russian Embassy

The Russian embassy is located in Islamabad.

  • Ambassador Danila Ganich[86]

Cultural exchanges

 
Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Karachi

The world's first bilingual Urdu-Russian dictionary was compiled and launched by Uzbek scholar Dr. Tashmirza Khalmirzaev in 2012 at a ceremony in Islamabad. Khalmirzaev said the dictionary aimed to "help speakers of both languages come closer." He also added that a new era was dawning in Pakistan's relationship with Russia and other Central Asian states and encouraged the government of Pakistan to continue work in promoting Urdu in Russia and Central Asia.[87]

Ideologies

On 13 January 2013, a poll in seven countries was managed by the Washington Post, to see whether the people of those seven countries prefer democratic government or one with a "strong" leader.[88] Most Russian and Pakistanis voted that "they prefer a "strong ruler" over democracy."[88]

Literature and art

See also: Urdu literature

A Pakistani Urdu poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize, a Soviet equivalent of Nobel Peace Prize.[89][90]

Media gallery

  •  

    Russian Ambassador to Pakistan H.E. Serguei N. Peskov (left) in Pakistan, 2007.

  •  

    President Putin meeting with his counterpart President Musharraf in 2003.

  •  

    President Zardari holds hands with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and leaders of the Former Soviet states.

  •  

    President Zardari engaging in conversation with President Medvedev, 2011.

See also

References

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Further reading

  • Azad, Tahir. “Pakistan-Russia Strategic Partnership: New Horizons for Cooperation,” Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, Issue Brief, December 26, 2016, online
  • Choudhury, G.W. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Major Powers: Politics of a Divided Subcontinent (1975), relations with US, USSR and China.
  • Khan, Muhammad Taimur Fahad. "Pakistan’s Foreign Policy towards Russia." Strategic Studies 39.3 (2019): 89–104. online[dead link]
  • Khan, Taimur. “Pakistan’s Growing Relations with Russia: Factoring in the Role of the US,” Strategic Studies 38, no. 2 (Summer 2018), online

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Relations of Pakistan and Russia.

January 14, 2023
pakistan, russia, relations, soviet, union, predecessor, russian, federation, pakistan, first, established, diplomatic, bilateral, relations, 1948, pakistan, russiathroughout, cold, soviet, union, relations, with, pakistan, downs, from, 1948, 1958, soviet, uni. The Soviet Union predecessor of the Russian Federation and Pakistan first established the diplomatic and bilateral relations on 1 May 1948 1 Pakistan Russia relationsPakistan RussiaThroughout the Cold War the Soviet Union s relations with Pakistan saw ups and downs From 1948 to 1958 the Soviet Union enjoyed relatively healthy and strong relations with Pakistan when it was under civilian control but they went ultimately cold soon after the US backed 1958 military coup d etat although attempts to warm relations were made after the 1965 Indo Pakistan war However in the 1980s relations began to deteriorate again and during the Soviet Afghan War Pakistan played a key role against the Soviet Union by supplying FIM 92 Stinger missiles to the Mujahideen backed by the aid of the United States The Stinger Missiles played a key role by accurately shooting down Soviet helicopters killing thousands of Soviet Air Force troops Pakistan is credited for playing a key role for allying and supporting the West during this time period of the Cold War In response to ongoing Soviet support to communist Afghanistan regarding the Durand Line issue during the late 1970s and 1980s Pakistan began to support Mujahideen rebels attempting to overthrow the Soviet backed communist regime and was later aided by the United States United Kingdom China and Saudi Arabia This led to the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan Due to the condemnation of Soviet actions in Afghanistan Pakistan was one of the 80 total countries that boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics scheduled in Moscow In recent years ties between Russia and Pakistan have warmed as a countermeasure to warming ties between India and the United States The two countries carried out their first ever joint military drills in 2016 2 Pakistan and Russia signed an agreement for the Pakistan Stream Gas pipeline from Karachi to Kasur 3 and reached a price accord by December 2016 4 Pakistan has also granted Russia access to a warm water port in the Arabian sea Gwadar Port 5 On May 1 2018 Pakistan celebrated the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Russia 6 7 8 Contents 1 Historical relations 2 Relations with Soviet Union 1947 1991 2 1 Democratic governments 1947 1958 2 2 Military dictatorships 1958 1971 2 2 1 Relations with West and East Pakistan 2 2 2 Role in Indo Pakistani war of 1971 2 2 3 Democratic government 1971 1977 2 2 4 Military dictatorship 1977 1988 2 2 5 Democratic governments 1989 1991 3 Relations with the Russian Federation 1991 present 3 1 Improvement in relations 3 2 Economic and geopolitical convergence 3 3 Cooperation in the field of energy 3 4 Military cooperation 3 4 1 Russian Army War Games 2015 3 4 2 Friendship Druzhba exercises 3 4 3 During Russo Ukrainian war 3 5 Dialogue at the SCO 2022 summit in Samarkand 3 5 1 Post flood relief in 2022 4 Public opinion 5 Diplomatic missions 5 1 Pakistani Embassy 5 2 Russian Embassy 6 Cultural exchanges 6 1 Ideologies 6 2 Literature and art 7 Media gallery 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External linksHistorical relations EditSee also Peshawar Conspiracy Cases and Socialism in Pakistan Soviet relations with Pakistan then part of the British Raj dated back to 1922 after the Bolshevik Revolution From 1922 to 1927 people who entered from the Soviet Union into the territory now Pakistan held by the British Empire attempted to start a communist revolution against the British Indian Empire The series of coups known as Peshawar Conspiracy Cases the British Empire was terrified after the intelligence on attempted communist revolution in India were revealed to authorities From 1947 to 1950 and 1965 1969 the trade educational and cultural exchanges between two countries increased But the Soviet efforts were undermined by the Soviet Union by itself when Soviet criticism of Pakistan s position in the 1971 war with India weakened bilateral relations and many people of Pakistan believed that the August 1971 Indo Soviet Treaty of Friendship Peace and Cooperation encouraged India invasion of East Pakistan Subsequent Soviet arms sales to India amounting to billions of dollars on concessional terms reinforced this argument The USSR also kept vetoing every resolution regarding the East Pakistan situation that Pakistan brought to the United Nations Relations with Soviet Union 1947 1991 EditDemocratic governments 1947 1958 Edit Main article Pakistan Soviet Union relationsSee also Soviet style economic planning in Pakistan Communism in Pakistan and Pakistan Communist Party The Soviet Union Pakistan relations Russian Soyuz Sovetskih Socialisticheskih Respublik Pakistan dated back to 1948 when Moscow directed a farewell message to then Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan Pakistan gained independence during the penultimate times of cold war and the Russian military involvement in Afghanistan had a long history going back to Tsarist times in the so called Great Game between Russia and Great Britain 9 Pakistan cannot afford to wait She must take her friends where she finds them Liaquat Ali Khan calling the Soviet Union and China 10 According to the studies conducted by the Institute of Strategic Studies ISS the Soviet Union did not welcomed the partition of Bengal and Punjab fluctuating from cool to antagonistic and hostile relations 9 Moscow gave vehement criticism to United Kingdom for partitioning the region regarded as the Divide and rule strategy of foreign policy of Great Britain and had earlier labeled the Muslim League as a tool of the British from its very inception 9 Joseph Stalin and officials at Moscow did not send any congratulatory message to Governor General Jinnah founder of Pakistan 9 11 12 Rather the Soviet Union extended relations after the death of Jinnah after sending the invitation to Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan on April 1948 9 During the 1947 war Soviet Union remained neutral non committal attitude while the Western countries moved the Kashmir dispute to United Nations Security Council to settle the dispute 9 The Status quo was more acceptable to India not by Pakistan initially influence Moscow to vote in favor of India in 1947 9 During 1947 1953 Pakistan was an early member of Non Aligned Movement NAM facing the challenging issues involving the economic default internal unrest challenges in foreign policy constitutional crises and the problems at the Constituent Assembly after the death of Jinnah 9 Initially Pakistan waited to see if any nation was willing to help the country to re build its massive military and economical aid and leading bureaucrat at this time Sir Firoz Ali Khan had revealed that If the Hindus give us and Pakistan then the Hindus are her best friends If the British give it to her then the Brits are our best friends If neither will give it to us the freedom Then the Russia is our best friend Firoze Ali Khan 1946 source 13 In April 1948 at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Far East Pakistan s foreign officers of Pakistan announced that she Pakistan would accept aid from any source but the Soviets did not respond to that request 9 In 1948 Prime Minister Ali Khan made several attempts to the Soviet Union to establish relations but the Soviets remained quiet In April 1948 Foreign minister Sir Zafarullah Khan held talks with Deputy Foreign minister Andrei Gromyko subjecting the diplomatic relation 14 During this time Pakistan saw relations with the Soviet Union from the prism of relations with India just as these days it sees ties with the United States 14 There are important divergences of outlook between Pakistan with its Islamic background and the Soviet Union with its background of Marxism which is atheistic Pakistan had noticed the subservience which was forced upon the allies of the Soviet Union Furthermore there was the question whether Russia could supply the aid both material and technical which Pakistan so urgently needed Pakistan Institute of International Affairs 1950 14 However the policy was changed after Soviet Union witnessed two events particularly forcing them to respond to Pakistan when India decided to remain within the Commonwealth Nations it was a clear sign that India was leaning towards the Western countries under the U S auspices 14 The second event was the Indian premier Jawaharlal Nehru s announcement to pay the state visit to the United States on May 7 1949 To a reaction Soviet Union extended an invitation to Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan in 1949 to visit Moscow becoming the first Prime Minister from the Commonwealth of Nations to visit the communist country but Soviet Union herself did not materialized the dates or the plans 14 Instead Prime Minister Ali Khan went onto paid a state visit to United States taking the largest diplomatic and military convey with him a clear rebuff to Soviet Union 14 According to studies completed by Pakistan Institute of International Affairs PIIA the real motives goals and objectives were to an economic and technical assistance There are important divergences of outlook between Pakistan with its Islamic background and the Soviet Union with its background of Marxism which is atheistic Pakistan had noticed the subservience which was forced upon the allies of the Soviet Union Furthermore there was the question whether Russia could supply the aid both material and technical which Pakistan so urgently needed PIIA noted 14 The relations suffered setback when members of Communist Party led by communist Faiz Ahmad Faiz sponsored by Major General Akbar Khan hatched a coup d etat against Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan in 1950 See Rawalpindi conspiracy case 14 Soon three years after Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan assassinated while campaigning for his electoral term During 1954 58 the relations were strained and hostility against each other as time passes In 1954 Pakistan became a member of SEATO and CENTO in 1955 which Soviet Union did not welcome overtly opting the Pro Indian policy and regarding the Kashmir as part of India 9 As a result of 1954 55 elections Prime Minister Huseyn Suhrawardy a left wing Prime Minister made deliberate attempts to improve relations On March April 1954 a delegation of the Soviet cultural troupe toured Pakistan and a festival of the Soviet films was held in Karachi 9 To reciprocate this the Pakistan Government also sent a delegation to study the Soviet industrial and agricultural development In 1956 Soviet premier Nikolai Bulganin offered technical and scientific assistance to Prime Minister Suhrawardy for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy offering Soviet contribution after Suhrawardy submitted the plan to established the nuclear power against India In 1958 Soviet Union agreed to give Pakistan aid in agriculture economic science control of pest flood control desalination soil erosion and technical assistance to Pakistan 9 In 1958 Pakistan and Soviet Union finally established an oil consortium Pakistan Oilfields and expressing interests in establishing the country s first steel mills 9 Military dictatorships 1958 1971 Edit In July 1957 Prime Minister Suhrawardy approved the leasing of the secret ISI installation Peshawar Air Station to CIA 15 After commencing the military coup d etat against President Iskander Mirza Army Commander Ayub Khan visited the United States further enhancing relations with the U S while at same time trying establishing link with Soviet Union through Zulfikar Ali Bhutto 15 Pakistan felt deceived because the U S had kept her in the dark about such clandestine spy operations launched from Pakistan s territory General K M Arif Chief of Army Staff 16 The U 2 incident worsened relations between the Soviet Union and Pakistan 17 General Khalid Mahmud Arif former chief of army staff wrote of the incident that Pakistan felt deceived because the U S had kept her in the dark about such clandestine spy operations launched from Pakistan s territory 18 The Soviet Union paid back its revenge on Indo Pakistani war of 1965 emerged as the biggest supplier of military hardware to India 19 India on other hand distanced from the Western countries developed close relations with the Soviet Union 19 Soviet Union and India used the diplomacy convincing the U S and Western powers to keep a ban on Pakistan s military and hardware 20 After the 1965 war the arms race between India and Pakistan became even more asymmetric and India was outdistancing Pakistan by far 21 However in 1968 Soviet Union and Pakistan made an arms deal 22 Relations with West and East Pakistan Edit This section s factual accuracy is disputed Relevant discussion may be found on Talk Pakistan Russia relations Please help to ensure that disputed statements are reliably sourced August 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Soviet Union had far better relations with East Pakistan Now Bangladesh and had strong ties with Communist Party after successfully staging the protest of Bengali Language Movement to give national recognition to the language as compare to Urdu in 1956 constitution 23 The Communist Party had ensure the complete elimination of Pakistan Muslim League once and for all leading the collapse of central government of Pakistan Muslim League in the federal government 23 The tendency of democracy and the Anti American sentiment was greater in East Pakistan which highly benefited the Soviet Union in 1971 16 When the mutual defence treaty following the arrival of military advsers from the MAAG group which was announced in February 1954 there was a great outcry in East Pakistan Many demonstrations led by communist party were held and the 162 newly elected members of East Pakistan Parliament signed a statement which denounced Pakistan s government for signing a military pact with United States 16 In West Pakistan the Soviet relations had improved after the formation of leading democratic socialist Pakistan Peoples Party 15 The tendency of socialism was greater in West Pakistan in contrast to East Pakistan were the tendency of communism was at its height 15 After the 1965 war Soviet relations with socialist mass Awami National Party Pakistan People s Party and the Pakistan Socialist Party impulsively improved In 1972 the West Pakistan Parliament passed the resolution which called for establishing ties with Soviet Union 15 During the 1980s when the purged took place under the Zia regime the socialist members escaped to the Soviet Union through Afghanistan seeking the political asylum there 15 Role in Indo Pakistani war of 1971 Edit The Soviet Union played a decisive role in the 1971 Winter war first signing the Indo Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation 24 The Soviet Union sympathized with the Bangladeshis and supported the Indian Army and Mukti Bahini during the war recognizing that the independence of Bangladesh would weaken the position of its rivals the United States Saudi Arabia and China 24 On 6 December and 13 December 1971 the Soviet Navy dispatched two groups of cruisers and destroyers and a nuclear submarine armed with nuclear missiles from Vladivostok 24 they trailed U S Task Force 74 into the Indian Ocean from 18 December 1971 until 7 January 1972 The Soviets also had a nuclear submarine to help ward off the threat posed to India by USS Enterprise task force in the Indian Ocean 25 26 The Soviet Navy s presence was threatening for Pakistan with the Soviet nuclear submarines K 320 and Charlie movements were picked up by the Pakistan Navy s submarines 24 The Pakistan Navy s submarines Ghazi Hangor and Mangor had sent solid evidence of Soviet Navy s covert involvement helping the Indian Navy and Soviet Navy s own secret operations against the Pakistan Navy 24 Pakistan Navy avoided aggressive contacts with the Soviet Navy due to possible nuclear retaliation by Soviet nuclear submarines in Karachi 24 In 2012 at an official press release in the Russian Consulate General Karachi the Russian ambassador remarked that the former Soviet stance against Pakistan in 1971 did somewhat embarrassed our relations 27 Democratic government 1971 1977 Edit Main articles Soviet Contribution to Pakistan Steel Mills Nationalization in Pakistan and 1977 Pakistani coup d etat Map showing distance from Peshawar to Moscow The democratic socialist alliance led by then Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto made an effort to improve relations with the Soviet Union and for the first time in Pakistani history the Soviet Union s ties with Pakistan began to warm and relations were quickly improved Reviving his foreign policy Bhutto relieved Pakistan from SEATO and CENTO breaking off the relations with the United States under President Jimmy Carter In 1974 Bhutto paid a tiring and lengthy state visit to Soviet Union becoming the first Prime Minister since the independence of Pakistan in 1947 Bhutto and his delegation was met with great jubilation a warm heated celebration took place after Bhutto was received by Alexei Kosygin in Moscow 28 The honorary guard of honor was bestowed by the Soviet Armed Forces and strong interaction was made during Bhutto s democratic era 28 Bhutto also met with Leonid Brezhnev where Pakistan reached agreements with Soviet Union on mutual trust cooperation technical assistance and friendship 29 While there Bhutto succeeded to convince the Soviet Union to establish the integrated steel mills which prompted the Soviet Union to provide funds for the billion dollar project 30 Prime Minister Bhutto made a deliberate attempt to warm relations with Russia as he was trying to improve relations with the Communist bloc 30 Bhutto sought to develop and alleviate the Soviet Pak Relations as the Soviet Union established Pakistan Steel Mills in 1972 31 The foundation stone for this gigantic project was laid on 30 December 1973 by the then Prime Minister Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Facing inexperience for the erection work of the integrated steel mill Bhutto requested Soviet Union to send its experts 31 Soviet Union sends dozens of advisors and experts under Russian scientist Mikhail Koltokof who supervised the construction of this integrated Steel Mills with a number of industrial and consortium companies financing this mega project 31 From 1973 to 1979 Soviet Union and Pakistan enjoyed a strong relationship with each other which also benefited the Soviet Union 30 This interaction was short lived after popular unrest began to take place after the 1977 elections 32 With United States support the CIA sponsored operation codenamed Fair Play removed Bhutto from power in 1977 The Soviet relations with Pakistan deteriorated on April 4 1979 when Bhutto was executed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan 32 Earlier Leonid Brezhnev Alexei Kosygin and other members of the Politburo had sent repeated calls for clemency to CMLA General Muhammad Zia ul Haq who forcefully rejected the Soviet requests 32 Breznev maintained the issue of Bhutto was Pakistan s internal matter but did not wish to see him executed When Bhutto was hanged Brezhnev condemned the act out of purely humane motives 32 Military dictatorship 1977 1988 Edit Communist Afghanistan Map showing areas involving heavy fighting Note Areas adjacent to Balochistan province are remained untouched white region south from the fighting while the NWFP north west inflicted with heavy fighting Shortly after the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan military ruler General Muhammad Zia ul Haq called for a meeting of senior military members and technocrats of his military government 33 At this meeting General Zia ul Haq asked the Chief of Army Staff General Khalid Mahmud Arif veteran of 1965 and 1971 war and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Muhammad Shariff who was made POW by India during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 to lead a specialized civil military team to formulate a geo strategy to counter the Soviet aggression 33 At this meeting the Director General of the ISI at that time Lieutenant General Akhtar Abdur Rahman advocated for an idea of covert operation in Afghanistan by arming the Islamic extremist and was loudly heard saying Kabul must burn Kabul must burn 33 As for Pakistan the Soviet war with Islamist mujaheddin was a complete revenge in retaliation for the Soviet Union s long support of regional rival India notably during the 1971 war which led the loss of East Pakistan 33 In 1980 the relationship took a dangerous turn when Soviet press notable Pravda and other Soviet commentators began to issue threatening statements towards Pakistan 34 Soviet Commentator V Baikov went far enough to say The axis of United States and China is trying to secure a base for its rapid deployment force presumable offering F 16 fighter plans in that view 34 Another Soviet commentator threateningly asked Pakistan that If she Pakistan thought about where the United States was pulling it in its hostilities with Afghanistan their aggression was taking place in the vicinity of the USSR 34 In February 1980 a delegation of TASS in New York City maintains that One can see the contours of dangerous plans aimed at Pakistan s arch rivals India Soviet Union and Afghanistan 34 The change of administration in 1980 and immediate verbal threat of Soviet Union to Pakistan brought the United States and Pakistan on a six year trade economic and military agreement valuing approximately 32 5 billions US dollars 34 The U S viewed the conflict in Afghanistan as an integral Cold War struggle and the CIA provided assistance to anti Soviet forces through the ISI in a program called Operation Cyclone 35 36 The siphoning off of aid weapons in which the weapons logistics and coordination were put under the Pakistan Navy in the port city of Karachi contributed to disorder and violence there while heroin entering from Afghanistan to pay for arms contributed to addiction problems 37 The Pakistan Navy coordinated the foreign weapons into Afghanistan while some of its high ranking admirals were responsible for storing the weapons in the Navy logistics depot later coordinated the weapons supply to Mujaheddin out of complete revenge of Pakistan Navy s brutal loss and defeat at the hands of the Soviet backed Indian Navy in 1971 33 In November 1982 General Zia attended the funeral in Moscow of Leonid Brezhnev the late General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko and new Secretary General Yuri Andropov met with Zia there Andropov expressed indignation over Pakistan s covert support of the Afghan resistance against the Soviet Union and its satellite state Communist Afghanistan Zia took his hand and assured him General Secretary believe me Pakistan wants nothing but very good relations with the Soviet Union 38 According to Gromyko Zia s sincerity convinced them but Zia s actions didn t live up to his words 38 Ironically Zia directly dealt with the Israel working to build covert relations with Israel allowing the country to actively participate in Soviet Afghan War Helped by ISI the Mossad channeled Soviet reversed engineered weapons to Afghanistan 39 In Charlie Wilson s own word Zia reported to have remarked to Israeli intelligence service Just don t put any stars of David on the boxes 39 Democratic governments 1989 1991 Edit Mothers of Soviet soldiers meeting at the Pakistani Embassy Moscow appealing to the Bhutto government for rescuing Soviet soldiers from captivity It was not until 1992 when the Sharif government released the details of soldiers Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto authorized further aggressive military operations in Afghanistan to topple the fragile communist regime and to end the Soviet influence 40 One of her military authorizations was a military action in Jalalabad of Afghanistan in retaliation for the Soviet Union s long unconditional support of India a proxy war in Pakistan and Pakistan s loss in 1971 war 40 This operation was a defining moment for her Benazir s government to prove the loyalty to Pakistan Armed Forces 40 This operation planned by then Director General of the Inter Services Intelligence ISI Lieutenant General Hamid Gul with inclusion of U S ambassador to Pakistan Robert Oakley 40 Known as Battle of Jalalabad it was intended to gain a conventional victory on Soviet Union after Soviet Union had withdrawn its troops But the operation failed miserably and the Afghan army supported by Soviet scuds won the battle resulting in ISI chief being sacked by the Prime Minister 40 At the end of years of Cold War Soviet Union announced to establish a 1 GW commercial nuclear power plant in Pakistan but after witnessing its aging technology Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto later followed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not authorize the purchase and showed little interest in aging Soviet technology 40 In 1992 Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif released the details and company of Soviet soldiers to the Russian government when Alexander Rutskoy visited the country after meeting in a committee led by Deputy Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shahryar Khan 41 Relations with the Russian Federation 1991 present Edit 17 Sadovaya Kudrinskaya street Moscow Russia where the Embassy of Pakistan located After the Soviet Union troop withdrawal withdrawing the combatant troops from Communist Afghanistan relations began to normalize with Pakistan In the wake of fall of communism Russian Pakistan relations were warmed rapidly In 1989 Soviet ambassador to Pakistan offered Pakistan to install a commercial nuclear power plant in the country however after U S intervention the plans were sent into cold storage In 1994 95 Benazir Bhutto attempted to warm relations with Russia but suffered a major setback when Benazir Bhutto s government recognized Taliban controlled government in Afghanistan as legitimate entity In 1996 Russia willingly agreed to launch Pakistan s second satellite Badr B from its Baikonur Cosmodrome for the lowest possible charges Pervez Musharraf shakes hands with Vladimir Putin left 2002 In 1997 Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attempted to warm relations with Russia after sending farewell messages to Russian Federation In 1998 although Russia congratulated India for conducting second nuclear tests see Pokhran II Russia did not immediately criticize Pakistan for performing its nuclear tests see Chagai I and Chagai II by the weekend of May 1998 In April 1999 Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif paid an important state visit to Kremlin this was the first trip to Moscow paid by a Pakistani Prime Minister in 25 years but no breakthrough was made 42 In 1999 Russia welcomed Pakistan and India for making a breakthrough in their relations with the Lahore Declaration but vehemently criticized Pakistan for holding it responsible for the outbreak of Indo Pakistani War of 1999 Meanwhile Russia played a major role in ending the war but remained hostile towards Pakistan Russia condemned the 1999 Pakistani coup d etat against Nawaz Sharif that removed him from power On 19 April 2001 the Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Losyukov paid a state visit to Pakistan and both countries agreed to co operate in economic development and to work towards peace and prosperity in the region 43 In the wake of September 11 2001 attacks the relations were warmed rapidly when Pakistan denounced the Taliban and joined the NATO coalition to hunt down jihadist organizations and al Qaeda The decision of Pakistan to join the international struggle against terrorism has led to Russia Pakistan relations being greatly improved Russia also played an integral role to ease off the nuclear 2001 Indo Pakistan tensions In November 2016 Pakistan also decided to grant Russia access to the Gwadar Port a warm water sea port as has done to both Iran and Turkmenistan 44 Improvement in relations Edit We must know where we deceived ourselves to avoid being deceived again Russia is one of our closest neighbors And could be an important partner Ardeshir Cowasjee and Dawn News Cited source 45 Dmitry Medvedev right meeting Asif Zardari left in 2010 Russia vowed its support for Pakistan in its struggle against the Taliban militants In 2007 the relations between Pakistan and the Russian Federation were reactivated after the 3 day official visit of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov He was the first Russian Prime Minister to visit Pakistan in the post Soviet era in 38 years He had in depth discussions with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Dmitry Medvedev engaged in conversation with Asif Zardari 2010 The major focus of the visit was to improve bilateral relations with particular emphasis on ways and means to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries Under the Presidency of Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani relations between Pakistan and Russia improved significantly In 2010 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of Russia stated that Russia was against developing strategic and military ties with Pakistan because of Russian desire to place emphasis on strategic ties with India citation needed Hina Rabbani Khar meeting with Russian deputy foreign minister A N Borodavkin 2012 In 2011 Russia changed its policy and Putin publicly endorsed Pakistans bid to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and said that Pakistan was a very important partner in South Asia and the Muslim world for Russia Putin offered Russia s assistance in expansion of Pakistan Steel Mills and provision of technical support for the Guddu and Muzaffargarh power plants and Russia was interested in developing the Thar Coal Project 46 In 2011 Russia strongly condemned the NATO strike in Pakistan and the Russian foreign minister stated it is unacceptable to violate the sovereignty of a state even when planning and carrying out counter insurgent operations 47 In 2012 Russian president Vladimir Putin announced to pay a state visit to Pakistan soon after his re election later he cancelled it citing other crucial engagement 48 To offset the diplomatic setback caused by this unexpected cancellation of much anticipated visit Putin s sent his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov 49 Meanwhile Pakistan army chief general Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited Moscow from October 4 for three day official visit Where he was received warmly by Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and Russian Ground Forces Commander in Chief C in C Colonel General Vladimir Chirkin 50 On 5 August 2013 Colonel General Vladimir Chirkin visited Pakistan where he was received by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani The two generals discussed matters of mutual interest with emphasis on improving defence cooperation army to army relations the security situation in the region especially in Afghanistan post 2014 51 In a press conference the ambassador of Russia has agreed to sell helicopters to Pakistan to assist the country with terrorism and security related issues Russia was still holding talks with Pakistan on the supply of the combat helicopters and had lifted its embargo on the arms supply to Pakistan Such a decision has been taken We are holding talks on supplying the helicopters head of state owned Rostec Sergei Chemezov said adding that the negotiations were about Russian Mi 35 Hind attack helicopters Russia has long been the largest supplier of arms to India which is the world s top arms buyer But Moscow s move to supply Islamabad came as New Delhi is seeking to modernise its armed forces ageing hardware and has recently chosen to buy arms from Israel France Britain and the United States Pakistan and Russia wrapped up their first strategic dialogue on 31 August 2013 At the talks held at the foreign secretaries level in Moscow the Pakistani side was led by Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani and Russia s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Georgiyevich Titov led his side Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov also participated in the consultations The dialogue the Foreign Office says lays an institutional framework for building closer relations between the two countries through discussions for cooperation in political economic defence and other sectors The two sides exchanged views on regional and international developments Broadly Pakistan and Russia agreed for more high level contacts closely coordinating positions on regional and international issues and expanding trade and investment relations and cooperation in the field of energy and power generation 52 In July 2015 The COAS General Raheel Sharif paid a visit to Russia where he was received by the military leadership of Russia at Kremlin This was the 1st visit of An COAS to Russia He was given a Guard of Honour and while laying wreath at the Tomb of Unknown Soldier the National Anthem of Pakistan was played This was seen as an improvement in ties as Russia s longtime ally India moved towards US Pakistan Russia signs a landmark defence deal in 2015 This deal includes sale of four Mi 35 Hind E attack helicopters to Pakistan Russia is also interested in joining CPEC which will benefit CPEC and strengthen Pakistan s economy Another deal in 2015 includes Russia to invest 2bn in project of constructing north south gas pipeline first phase of which is expected to conclude by Dec 2017 Economic and geopolitical convergence Edit President Putin meets Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif In 1990 Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan sent a fare well message to Moscow in an attempt to set up the economic coordination between the two countries 53 In 1991 Benazir Bhutto headed a high level economic delegation to Central Asia and Russia after the collapse of Soviet Union 53 Senior military officials and Defence Attache of Pakistan and Russia jointly working together at the communications tent at a Nigerian Air Force Base In 2003 the bilateral trade between Russia and Pakistan reached to 92 million US dollar which increased to 411 4 million in 2006 27 The bilateral trade between each country reached to 630 million in 2008 and 400 million in 2009 27 During this following year both countries established the Russian Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Scientific and Technical Cooperation to cooperation in science and technology and education 27 In 2011 Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and Vladimir Putin held a frank discussion in a cordial atmosphere on the 10th Heads of Government meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation 54 Russia is currently financing the mega energy project CASA 1000 transmitting power generation from Turkmenistan Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan Russia has provided 500Mn US dollars for the CASA 1000 power transmission project 54 In 2011 both countries initiated the work on the framework n the proposed Free Trade Agreement and currency swap arrangement to boost bilateral trade and further strengthen their economic ties 54 In 2012 Russia and Pakistan have covertly developed geopolitical and strategic relations behind the scenes of world politics for the last two years as Stephen Blank of Strategic Studies Institute maintained 54 As the NATO led ISAF and the US Forces Afghanistan Command is planning to depart Afghanistan in 2014 the Russian Federation came to a conclusion that Pakistan is a crucial player in Afghanistan and that as NATO withdraws it becomes all the more urgent for Moscow to seek some sort of modus vivendi with Islamabad 54 In November 2019 Pakistan decided to solve a Soviet era trade dispute with Russia in which the Pakistani government should pay 93 5 million to Russia within 90 days The settlement would pave the way for Russia to invest over 8 billion in Pakistan 55 The Special Representative of Pakistan for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq noted after visit in Moscow on September 9 2022 that both sides share similar views on the situation in Afghanistan and plan to continue consultations on this issue in the future 56 Cooperation in the field of energy Edit Cooperation in the field of energy between Pakistan and Russia occupies an important place in bilateral relations since the Russian Federation is an advanced power in the field of oil and gas production and Pakistan in turn is a developing country with huge energy needs In October 2015 the partners signed an Intergovernmental Agreement on the construction of the North South gas pipeline from Karachi to Lahore In addition an Intergovernmental Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Liquefied Natural Gas LNG was signed on October 13 2017 In September 2018 the countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of an offshore gas pipeline and as a follow up on February 6 2019 Russian Gazprom and the Pakistani company Inter State Gas Company Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding a feasibility study of gas supplies from the Middle East to South Asia 57 In January 2022 Imran Khan strongly supports Pakistan Stream gas pipeline and imports of discounted Russian oil and wheat 58 In December 2022 Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik says the Pakistani government has held fruitful talks with Russia for import of cheap oil diesel and gas 59 Military cooperation Edit Military technical cooperation between Russia and Pakistan is under development The Russian Federation had to establish relations with Pakistan which were severed at the initiative of the USSR back in the 1980s In 1996 Russia for the first time signed an agreement on the supply of multi purpose Mi 17 helicopters to Pakistan During the period from 1996 to 2004 the Russian Federation supplied about 70 helicopters to the partner 60 Increasing military cooperation between Islamabad and Moscow would not negatively impact Russia s ties with India Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in 2015 adding that Pak Russia ties were improving in other sectors as well including energy 61 The two countries signed a defense cooperation agreement in 2014 As of early 2021 Moscow has supplied the Pakistan with a batch of Mi 35 attack helicopters and it has signed contracts with the Asian nation to deliver anti tank systems air defense weapons and small arms 62 In addition Islamabad intended to purchase another 10 12 units of such helicopters and also showed interest in purchasing multi purpose Su 35 fighters with a longer range than light Chinese JF 17s which are in service with the Pakistani Air Force along with American F 16s 63 Back in 2018 the telegram channel Militarist reported that Pakistan had finalized a contract for the purchase of 54 SU 35 fighters however this information was not confirmed 64 On August 7 2018 during the visit to Pakistan of the Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Alexander Fomin a contract was signed between Moscow and Islamabad providing Pakistani servicemen with the opportunity to study at universities of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation The agreement was signed following the results of the first meeting of the Russian Pakistani Joint Military Advisory Committee JMCC Before signing this document officers of the Pakistani army were trained in the United States 65 Russian Army War Games 2015 Edit Pakistan Army actively participated in Russian Army War Games 2015 held in Russian Far east Pakistan was also among the six countries that took part in Master of The Air Defense Battle Competition in August 2015 besides Russia China Egypt Venezuela and Belarus citation needed Friendship Druzhba exercises Edit President Putin meets Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Moscow on the eve of the Russian invasion of Ukraine The first annual joint exercise between the Russian military and the Pakistan Army took place under the name Friendship 2016 70 Russians and 130 Pakistanis took part in the exercise held from 24 September to 10 October 2016 in Cherat in Pakistan s north western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province 66 India had unsuccessfully asked Russia to call off the exercise as a gesture of solidarity following the 18 September 2016 militant attack on an Indian Army base which the government of India had blamed on the government of Pakistan 67 From November 8 to 21 2020 the 5th joint Russian Pakistani Druzhba 2020 exercise was held More than 150 servicemen of the armies of the two countries took part in the exercises From the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation more than 70 military personnel of special purpose units of the 49th Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District were involved in the exercise 68 October 2021 joint Russian Pakistani exercise Friendship 2021 at the Molkino training ground in the Krasnodar Territory The main task of the exercises was to improve the ways of interaction when performing a wide range of tasks Special attention was paid to the development of fighting skills in urban conditions and the use of a consolidated assault company in the liberation of settlements and objects captured by terrorists 69 From February 15 to 16 2021 a detachment of ships of the Russian Navy at the invitation of the Pakistani side took part in the maritime phase of the multinational naval exercises Aman 2021 70 During Russo Ukrainian war Edit Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Russia from February 23 24 2022 71 It was the first visit of any Pakistani ruler to Russia since 1999 72 Pakistan abstains from voting as UN General Assembly censures Russia in March 2022 73 and remains neutral 74 Dialogue at the SCO 2022 summit in Samarkand Edit Against the background of catastrophic floods in Pakistan in 2022 and possible food shortages Russia in addition to gas supplies offered to supply wheat to Pakistan 75 In addition on the sidelines of the SCO summit at a meeting with Shehbaz Sharif Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned that pipeline gas supplies to Pakistan are possible and part of the infrastructure has already been created In addition according to the statements of the Minister of Defense of Pakistan Russian President Vladimir Putin highly appreciated Pakistan s position on the Russian Ukrainian war at the UN and at the international level 76 Post flood relief in 2022 Edit After the devastating floods in 2022 Russia provided assistance to Pakistan Food tents and water purification devices were handed over 77 Public opinion EditDue to rapidly shifting global geopolitical interests spurred by the end of the Cold War and the ongoing U S led War on Terror Pakistani public opinion towards Russia has fluctuated in recent years with 18 viewing Russia favorably in 2007 falling to 11 in 2011 and rising to 20 in 2012 78 and according to the BBC World Service Poll 9 of Pakistanis view Russian influence positively in 2010 79 14 in 2011 80 falling to 12 in 2012 81 and increasing to 18 in 2013 82 However Pakistanis have generally rated Vladimir Putin s leadership poorly with 7 expressing confidence in him in 2006 and only 3 in 2012 83 and for the most part a plurality of Russians have consistently rated Pakistan s influence negatively with 13 expressing a positive view in 2008 84 increasing slightly to 14 in 2010 79 and falling to 8 in 2013 82 Diplomatic missions EditRussia maintains an embassy in the capital of Pakistan Islamabad and Pakistan has an embassy in Moscow in Russia Pakistani Embassy Edit The Pakistani embassy is located in Moscow Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan 85 Russian Embassy Edit The Russian embassy is located in Islamabad Ambassador Danila Ganich 86 Cultural exchanges Edit Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Karachi The world s first bilingual Urdu Russian dictionary was compiled and launched by Uzbek scholar Dr Tashmirza Khalmirzaev in 2012 at a ceremony in Islamabad Khalmirzaev said the dictionary aimed to help speakers of both languages come closer He also added that a new era was dawning in Pakistan s relationship with Russia and other Central Asian states and encouraged the government of Pakistan to continue work in promoting Urdu in Russia and Central Asia 87 Ideologies Edit On 13 January 2013 a poll in seven countries was managed by the Washington Post to see whether the people of those seven countries prefer democratic government or one with a strong leader 88 Most Russian and Pakistanis voted that they prefer a strong ruler over democracy 88 Literature and art Edit See also Urdu literature A Pakistani Urdu poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize a Soviet equivalent of Nobel Peace Prize 89 90 Media gallery Edit Russian Ambassador to Pakistan H E Serguei N Peskov left in Pakistan 2007 President Putin meeting with his counterpart President Musharraf in 2003 President Zardari holds hands with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and leaders of the Former Soviet states President Zardari engaging in conversation with President Medvedev 2011 See also EditKharotabad Incident when four Russian nationals were shot dead by members of the paramilitary Frontier Corps It occurred in the Pakistani province of Balochistan Akhlas Akhlaq a Russian citizen born to a Pakistani father and who was arrested and 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01 Pak Russia Diplomatic Relations A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself Dispatch News Desk Retrieved 2020 07 20 IANS 2018 05 02 Pakistan Russia mark 70 years of diplomatic relations Business Standard India Retrieved 2022 04 25 Pakistan Russia mark 70 years of diplomatic relations www geo tv Retrieved 2022 04 25 a b c d e f g h i j k l m Adnan Ali Shah Pakistan Soviet Union Relations Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad Archived from the original on 5 March 2016 Retrieved 26 February 2012 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Shahid M Aminv Former Pakistan Ambassador to Soviet Union October 17 2010 The foreign policy of Liaquat Ali Khan The Dawn Newspaper Retrieved 31 January 2012 Zaidi Mujtaba Haider Pak Russia Relations and Terrorism The Frontier Post Newspaper June 05 2013 Pak Russia relations and terrorism archive ph 2013 06 18 Archived from the original on 2013 06 18 Retrieved 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Akhtar Abdur Rahman Karachi Sindh Jang Publishers 1991 pp 106 pages a b c d e Riccioppi Linda 1994 USSR and Pakistan relations google books Soviet Policy towards South Asia in 1970 United States Cambridge University Press 1994 pp 136 199 ISBN 0 521 41457 1 Retrieved 19 August 2012 How the CIA created Osama bin Laden Green Left Weekly September 19 2001 Archived from the original on January 11 2007 Retrieved January 9 2007 1986 1992 CIA and British Recruit and Train Militants Worldwide to Help Fight Afghan War History Commons Archived from the original on September 12 2008 Retrieved January 9 2007 Kepel Jihad 2002 p 143 44 a b Hyman Anthony Ghayur Muhammed Kaushik Naresh 1989 Pakistan Zia and After New Delhi Abhinav Publications pp 35 36 ISBN 81 7017 253 5 a b Editorial July 31 2003 Tricky diplomacy The Economist Retrieved January 4 2012 a b c d e f Yousaf Mohammad amp Adkin Mark Afghanistan The bear trap Defeat of a superpower www sovietsdefeatinafghanistan com Archived from the original on 2004 05 06 Retrieved 2007 07 27 E Kirichenko 10 May 2007 Vosstavshie v adu Badabera in Russian Trud Retrieved 2007 05 10 Shah Adnan Ali 2001 Pakistan Russia Relations Post Cold War Era Strategic Studies 21 2 31 60 ISSN 1029 0990 JSTOR 45242254 Staff April 21 2001 Islamabad Moscow seek better ties Dawn Archives April 21 2001 Retrieved 19 December 2012 Russia allowed use of Gwadar Port www thenews com pk Retrieved 2022 04 25 A Recap of Soviet Pakistan relations Dawn News13th March 2011 13 March 2011 Retrieved 21 August 2012 APP 7 November 2011 Russia endorses full SCO membership for Pakistan Retrieved 26 April 2016 Reuters 2011 11 28 No excuse to violate Pakistan sovereignty Russia DAWN COM Retrieved 2022 04 25 Cancellation of Putin s visit to Pakistan The Nation 3 October 2012 Archived from the original on 24 April 2013 Retrieved 26 April 2016 Pakistan to seek early rescheduling of Russian president s visit The Express Tribune 2012 10 03 Retrieved 2022 04 25 Russian Defence Minister cancels Delhi visit to welcome Gen Kayani in Moscow pakistanintheworld com Retrieved 26 April 2016 Misbah Maham Pakistan Russia to boost military cooperation Pakistan Today Retrieved 2022 04 25 Baqir Sajjad Syed Accord to diversify ties with Russia Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 26 April 2016 a b Ahmad Sultan If Pakistan is the gateway to Central Asia Sultan Ahmad If Pakistan is the gateway to Central Asia Retrieved 19 August 2012 a b c d e APP November 8 2011 Pakistan Russia to go for FTA currency swap agreement Tribune Express Retrieved 19 August 2012 Pakistan settles Soviet era trade dispute with Russia The Express Tribune 2019 11 06 Retrieved 2022 04 25 Pakistan s top envoy for Afghanistan visits Russian ambassador in Moscow Ariana News 9 September 2022 Retrieved 9 September 2022 Pakistan Russia Relations Embassy of Pakistan Moscow in Russian Khan After Putin Visit Pakistan to Import Wheat Gas from Russia VOA Retrieved 28 February 2022 Pakistan to import POL products from Russia Musadik Radio Pakistan Rossiya postavit Pakistanu partiyu boevyh vertoletov IslamNews in Russian Regional Posts September 13 2015 gt APP September 13 2015 Pak Russia talks on delivery of Su 35 Mi 35s underway Regional posts Retrieved 10 September 2015 CAMTO Rossiya i Pakistan podpisali kontrakty na postavku vooruzhenij armstrade org Retrieved 2022 04 25 Kamenev S Rossijsko pakistanskie otnosheniya vchera segodnya zavtra Rossiya i musulmanskij mir 2016 8 290 Poyavilis sluhi o prodazhe krupnoj partii Su 35 eshe odnoj strane Novosti VPK in Russian Retrieved 2018 04 28 COAS Bajwa Russian Deputy Defence Minister discuss security cooperation Daily Pakistan in Russian Retrieved 2018 08 07 Jagtiani Ashini 2017 Russia Pakistan Military Cooperation A Tectonic Shift IndraStra Global 1 2 Bedi Rahul 5 October 2016 Russia presses on with first ever joint exercise with Pakistan IHS Jane s Defence Weekly 53 40 6 Russia and Pakistan kick off joint military drill ArmyTechnology 10 October 2020 Russian Pakistani Druzhba 2021 drills begin in southern Russia Tass 27 September 2021 Multinational naval exercise Aman 2021 begins in Arabian Sea Naval Technology 15 February 2021 Mohan C Raja Imran Khan Goes to Moscow as Pakistan Romances Russia Foreign Policy Retrieved 2022 02 24 Pakistan PM Imran Khan in Moscow set to meet President Putin amidst Ukraine conflict The Hindu PTI 2022 02 24 ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 2022 02 24 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint others link Pakistan abstains from UN vote to condemn Russia over Ukraine violence Pakistan Today 3 March 2022 Pakistan remains neutral as UNGA censures Russia DAWN 3 March 2022 Retrieved 3 March 2022 Russia offered gas wheat aid amid famine risk in Pakistan Khawaja Asif Geo TV Retrieved 18 September 2022 Pakistan Russia ready for partnership The Nation 17 September 2022 Retrieved 17 September 2022 First flight carrying relief goods from Russia reaches Pakistan The News Retrieved 21 September 2022 Pakistan Opinion of Russia Indicators Database Pew Research Center 2016 03 10 Archived from the original on 2016 03 10 Retrieved 2022 04 25 a b 2010 BBC World Service Poll Archived 2013 06 04 at the Wayback Machine BBC 2011 BBC World Service Poll Archived 2012 11 23 at the Wayback Machine BBC 2012 BBC World Service Poll Archived 2013 04 21 at the Wayback Machine BBC a b 2013 BBC World Service Poll Archived 2013 09 26 at the Wayback Machine BBC Pakistan Confidence in Putin Indicators Database Pew Research Center Pew Research Center s Global Attitudes Project 22 April 2010 Retrieved 26 April 2016 2008 BBC World Service Poll Archived 2012 10 21 at the Wayback Machine BBC Biography Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan pakistanembassy ru org Retrieved 2022 01 26 Interview with Ambassador of Russia to Pakistan Mr Danila Ganich for the Pakistani private television channel Aaj TV Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Bridging cultural borders First ever Urdu Russian dictionary launched The Express Tribune 2012 08 02 Retrieved 2022 04 25 a b Max Fisher January 11 2013 Most Russians and Pakistanis say they prefer a strong ruler over democracy Washington Post Retrieved 28 January 2013 Asif Farrukhi 17 February 2011 Among his contemporaries Dawn Newspapers 17 February 2011 Retrieved 7 March 2012 Faiz s elder daughter saunters down memory lane The Express Tribune 2022 02 14 Retrieved 2022 04 25 Further reading EditAzad Tahir Pakistan Russia Strategic Partnership New Horizons for Cooperation Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad Issue Brief December 26 2016 online Choudhury G W India Pakistan Bangladesh and the Major Powers Politics of a Divided Subcontinent 1975 relations with US USSR and China Khan Muhammad Taimur Fahad Pakistan s Foreign Policy towards Russia Strategic Studies 39 3 2019 89 104 online dead link Khan Taimur Pakistan s Growing Relations with Russia Factoring in the Role of the US Strategic Studies 38 no 2 Summer 2018 onlineExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Relations of Pakistan and Russia in Russian Documents on the Pakistan Russia relationship at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs https www businessinsider com 32 year anniversary of first stinger missile use in afghanistan 2018 9 https 2001 2009 state gov r pa ho time qfp 104481 htm Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pakistan Russia relations amp oldid 1130509278, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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