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Pakistan–Russian relations (Russian: Российско-пакистанские отношения) refers to the bilateral relations between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Russian Federation. The countries established diplomatic relations on 1 May 1948.[1]
Relations between the two countries have been strained in the past because of Russia's strong relations with India, Pakistan's arch-rival and also because of Pakistan's foundation and support of Mujahideen rebels during Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.
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Under military leader Ayub Khan, Pakistan sought to improve relations with the Soviet Union; trade and cultural exchanges between two countries increased between 1966 and 1971. However, Soviet criticism of Pakistan's position in the 1971 war with India weakened bilateral relations, and many Pakistanis 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 U.N.
The U-2 incident in 1960 severely compromised Pakistan security and worsened relations between the Soviet Union and Pakistan. As an attempt to put up a bold front, Pakistani General Khalid Mahmud Arif while commenting on the incident stated that, "Pakistan felt deceived because the US had kept her in the dark about such clandestine spy operations launched from Pakistan’s territory." A U.S. spy plane was shot down by the U.S.S.R and the piolt was captured alive. The fact that the plane flew from Pakistani territory enraged the Soviet Union. The Soviets threatened to bomb the base if future missions were flown from it.
After the disastrous 1971 Winter war with India, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hastily made the elected President. Bhutto began to revived relationship with United States as he saw that U.S. had left Pakistan during the 1971 war. In 1974, as Prime minister, Bhutto paid a state visit to Moscow and deliberately attempted to warm the relations. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, Soviet Union's ties with Pakistan began to warm and relations were quickly improved. Bhutto negotiated for the integrated steel mills which prompted the Soviet Union to established the billion dollar worth Steel mill on its own expanse. Previously in 1960, Bhutto had Soviet Union to established the Pakistan-Soviet Oilfield in Pakistan in search of oil assets in Pakistan. During the 1973 till 1979, Soviet Union and Pakistan had enjoyed a strong relations with each other which also benefited the Soviet Union. However, after the CIA orchestrated removal of Bhutto, tensions began to mounted with General Zia-ul-Haq who opposed Soviet Union ideologically.
During the 1980s, tensions increased between the Soviet Union and Pakistan because of the latter's key role in helping to organize political and material support for the Afghan rebel forces. The withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan and the collapse of the former Soviet Union resulted in significantly improved bilateral relations, but Pakistan's support for and recognition of the Taliban regime in neighboring Afghanistan remained an ongoing source of tension.
Later on, Government of Pakistan changed its policy towards Taliban when it joined U.S. forces in helping to overthrow them following the September 11 attacks in the U.S. in 2001. The Decision of Pakistan to join the international struggle against terrorism has led to Russia-Pakistan relations being greatly improved.
Russia vowed its support for Pakistan as Pakistan fight 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 Union era in 38 years. He had "in-depth discussions" with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
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 have improved significantly. In 2010, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of Russia stated that Russia was against developing strategic and military ties with Pakistan because of Russia desire to place emphasis on strategic ties with India.[2] In 2011, Russia changed its policy and Putin publicly endorsed Pakistan bid to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation 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[3]
The Russian intelligence agency [4] is claimed to be working in cover to support the Balochistan Liberation Army.
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