Pakistan is wooing Russia harder than ever. The most recent speech by the Pakistani foreign minister in the national parliament giving policy statements regards not playing as an American pawn any more is a step in that direction. Pakistan is eagerly mending fences with Moscow which, it estranged four decades ago in association with the USA, fighting a war which torn apart the USSR. Knowing the Russians don't forget easily, Pakistanis are willing to take what all it does to cosy up with the Russians and forge an alliance based on genuine interests with an appeal arising from 'heart to heart', making the Russians go beyond the formalities and warm up to Islamabad.
Pakistanis trusted Chinese financiers and friends are all but on board. The great game is being replayed, with the war torn Afghanistan still as its board. Old friends are now foes and vice versa. The major hurdle in this bilateral relationship between Russia and Pakistan was the staunch opposition by India, which 'was' the biggest arms buyer of Russia. But with India embracing the USA and chartering the Indo-Us alliance, Russians are finally getting out of the Indian pressure tactics and are warming up to Pakistan.
The practical manifestation of the Russian intentions and on ground vital visibility of growing Pak-Russo alliance took to shape quite recently. Moscow, in an irreversible move, stabbing India rite in the heart, put a show where the Pakistani Baloch separatist leaders living in Moscow since decades on political asylum were made to take a take a U-turn on Anti Pakistani federation movement. They announced to support the Pakistani state in its efforts to develop Pakistan in accordance with the Chinese CPEC/OBOR plan which pivots around the Pakistani province of Baluchistan. These ex separatist leaders shunned the Indian role in de-stabilising Pakistan and vowed to work with the Pakistani federation. It binned six decades of Indian intelligence efforts in which huge amounts of funds were invested.
All the signs are visible on ground as to what direction this alliance is going. It is all but bad news for the Indo-US interests in the mineral rich Central Asian region. The US troops surge in Afghanistan announced by President Trump won't help the US led western designs with India on board, but will only provide more targets to the Taliban in Afghanistan to hit at. The rise of ISIS in Afghanistan and their confrontation with the Taliban over grasping power can be seen in that context as a US intelligence effort to kill two birds with one stone. US is looking or hoping to contain both Russia and Taliban in Afghanistan by ISIS, a force, which was anyways created by the US/Israeli actions in the middle east. However, the Russians saw it coming beforehand and established intelligence ties with the Afghan Taliban utilising the age old Pakistani connections. The Russians have learned their lesson well after the breakage of USSR to had been caught unaware this time around. While the Pakistanis are experienced in playing this diabolical game like Russia, making it a natural alliance.
What the US led camp refuses to appreciate playing this great game is the geo-strategic realities on ground in Afghanistan. The land locked country is bordered by opposing players with different national interests then those of Washington/Western camp. Till such time, the US camp remain stubborn to the idea of power sharing in the region, unfortunately the game will be continued to be played at the cost of blood and misery of the innocent.
Good one. But Russia has always been cautious in any approach from Pakistan. Perhaps we need to change the causes for that too.
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