Naeem Ul Hassan Kandwal
Due to the rapidly changing global political landscape, Prime minister Imran Khan’s visit to Russia is highly significant. Khan has become the first Pakistani premier to visit Russia in 23 years after former premier Nawaz Sharif travelled to Moscow in 1999. The visit came at a time when tension between Russia and the West over Ukraine is on the rise. In the past, Pak-Russia relations have been volatile, ven in the Pak-India wars, Russia has sided with India. On May 1, 1948, Diplomatic relations were officially established between Pakistan and Russia (Soviet Union) but soon after, relations between the two countries deteriorated. Pakistan joined the US military alliance, which lasted until the end of the Cold War. That is why Russia has always opposed Pakistan at all international forums. Russia’s stance on Kashmir has also been against Pakistan. In the 1980s, when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, the world was divided into two blocs, the United States and the Soviet Union. The United States defeated the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. As an ally of the United States, Pakistan also played a key role in the defeat of the Soviet Union. After the defeat of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, the United States imposed sanctions on Pakistan. On this occasion, Pakistan tried to establish relations with Russia, but the distance between the two countries remained. In 1999, Pakistan made another attempt to improve relations with Russia. The then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Moscow. Then the political landscape began to change. In 2010, a Pakistani delegation visited Russia. In the same year, an agreement on trade, economy, science, and technology was signed between Pakistan and Russia. In 2014, the two countries signed agreements on defense cooperation. These agreements were a clear indication of the growing relationship between the two countries. In 2015, Russia signed the North-South Gas Pipeline project from Karachi to Lahore. As a nuclear power, Pakistan is one of the most powerful countries in the world. In 2016, the two countries participated in joint military exercises in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the first time. In 2017, the Prime Minister of Pakistan met with the Russian President. In 2018, the Pakistan-Russia Military Advisory Committee was set up. In 2019, Russia participated in the International Defense Exhibition and Seminar. Russia also participated in naval exercises. In 2019, Prime Minister Imran Khan held informal talks with the Russian President in Kyrgyzstan. Last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited Pakistan and met with Prime Minister Imran Khan. Last year, the two countries signed the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline. The recent visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan has great significance. Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Russia has historic importance. He discussed a number of important issues in detail during his meeting with the Russian President. He raised the issue of the possible economic crisis in Afghanistan. He apprised the Russian President of the grave human rights violations in occupied Kashmir. The energy crisis is a huge problem for Pakistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan also discussed the gas pipeline project and termed it a flagship project. He expressed concern over the growing trend of global extremism and Islamophobia. The balance of power has shifted from west to east, and this has been acknowledged by EU officials. China will overtake the US to become the world’s largest economy by 2026. America’s decline has begun. Pakistan has been a key ally of the United States in the past. Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit toRussia is a major shift in global politics.
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