Re-evaluating, growing partnership, trade, defence, cultural and regional relations between Pakistan and Russia at an international conference on “Pakistan: Potential of Cooperation with Russia in Context of Political Process Democratization” organized by the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences in collaboration with Garchakov Fund in Moscow on 29th January, 2024, experts agrees that no matter which party comes to power as a result of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Pakistan, the new government formed will maintain the trend of expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Russia.
Report by Ishtiaq Hamdani, Moscow Based Journalist
At this conference, ambassadors of Pakistan and Russia, officials of respective embassies, politicians from Moscow and Islamabad. In addition to the business community, administrators, researchers, teachers and young researchers participated the conference both formats online and in person. The welcome addresses of the conference was given by the Professor Vyacheslav Y. Belokrenitsky, Chairman, Centre for the Study of Near and Middle Eastern Countries, Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) and Professor Alikber K. Alikberov. Director, Institute of Oriental Studies.
Inaugural speeches were delivered by the Ambassador of Pakistan to Moscow, Mohammad Khalid Jamali (in person) and the Ambassador of Russia to Pakistan, Albert Pavlovich Khorev (online), as well as the Chairman of the Association of Russian Diplomats, I.V., who attended. On this occasion, former Ambassador of Russia to Pakistan Danila Ganch, Chairman of Pakistan Institute of International Relations, Karachi, Dr. Masooma Hassan. Former Ambassador and Executive Director of Center for International Strategic Studies Sindh Qazi Muhammad Khalilullah spoke in online format, who shed light on various aspects of Pakistan-Russia relations in the modern realities of regional and global change.
However, Daria V. Saprynskaya from Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund, Moscow presented her point of view on the topic “Pakistan Image in Central Asian Countries: Public Opinion and Bilateral Projects”. Pakistani journalist, researcher and intellectual Almas Haider Naqvi, who came to Moscow as part of his doctoral research, also presented his paper in the conference.
Addressing the conference, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Russia, H.E. Muhammad Khalid Jamali, said that he is expecting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to visit Pakistan after the elections to be held in Pakistan on February 8. He said that further streanthing relations with Russia is among Pakistan’s priorities. Efforts are being made to restore the ancient silk route to promote trade with Russia. There is very good cooperation between Pakistan and Russia, for the first time in history the volume of bilateral trade has reached almost 1 million dollars and further improvement is expected in the coming years. There are lots of things are underway expected to formalize very soon. Cheaper Russian oil and gas will benefit the people of Pakistan. Progress in our relations with Russia is significant.
Talking about Afghanistan, Mohammad Khalid Jamali said that we have a very positive and constructive approach and we firmly believe that the regional countries will realize the dream of ties with Pakistan. And this can only happen if there is peace and stability, and everyone is willing to work for the restoration of the old Silk Route. The world is changing, our relations with Russia are strengthening in the multilateral system and we are cooperating in many international forums. He said trajectory of Pakistan-Russia relations are on the right direction and I hope that with time to come, we will be able to build exceptional relations.
The chief guest of this international conference, Senator Waleed Iqbal, chairman of the Standing Committee on Human Rights of the Senate of Pakistan, emphasized in a video message to maintain the tradition of intellectual dialogue between the two countries. Taking the bilateral relations forward on their growing path of further rapprochement. During the first session of the conference, besides representatives of official diplomacy, leading scientists and experts from academic institutions, centres and organizations of Pakistan and Russia presented their papers in a mixed online external format. General Director, Analytical Center for International Relations “Pakistan House” Muhammad Athar Javed, President of Islamabad Institute of Policy Research (IPRI) General Raza Muhammad, S.A. Podoplov, Third Secretary at the Russian Embassy, Lydmila Vasilova, Institute of Oriental Studies, Rector of Ural State Pedagogical University, Svetlana, Aligarvina Minyareva also presented.
While presenting his research paper tilted Civlizational Pretext of Contemparary Pakistan-Russia-Relations: An Apraisal, Pakistani journalist, researcher and intellectual, Almas Haider Naqvi said that apart from the geopolitical and geo-economic permissiveness, there are civilizational and cultural pretext also provide the conducive environment for acceleration of rapprochement between Pakistan and Russia. Since, Russian Federation’s declaration as a civilizational state, departure from the liberal agenda of standardization & universalization and acknowledgement of the states of “friendly Islamic civilization” as “reliable partners” of Russia, seems to have softer context in which Islamic Republic of Pakistan has the opportunity to further deepen security, economic and cultural ties with Russian Federation, amid the evolving polycentric world.
The second and third sessions of the international conference were chaired by Professor Vyacheslav Y. Belokrenitsky and cocharied by Dr Irina N. Serenko, IOS RAS, in which reports on the broad themes of Pakistan studies, the complex historical path of political process and strong democratic values in Pakistan, pr. It was hoped that this elected government would play its role in increasing the possibilities of multilateral interaction with Russia and other regional states. Sikandar Afzal, Hamdan Khan, Professor Shabana Fayyaz and other speakers also presented articles from this conference.
Dr Peter V. Topychkanov from IOS RAS talked about the Influence of Pakistan Armed Forces on Current Election Cycle. Gleb G. Makarevich from IMEMO spoke on the topic “On Western Front, No Changes (for Better): Expectations of Indian Expert Community from Elections 2024 in Pakistan” and Gleb V. Gryzlov. Postgraduate student, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, RAS, Program Assistant, Russian Council on International Affairs (RIAC) also presented his paper on Current Security Situation in Pakistan and Influence of Afghanistan Factor.
