Book on Pak-Russia ties launched

ISLAMABAD: Former foreign secretary Ambassador Sohail Mahmood has said that Pakistan-Russia relations have undergone a significant evolution over the past 75 years, transitioning from Cold War divergence to growing convergence across diplomatic, economic and strategic domains.

He was addressing the launching of book “Pakistan-Russia Relations: A Comprehensive Historical and Strategic Analysis” at the ISSI here on Tuesday. He recalled that despite early geopolitical constraints, the relationship never fully broke down, as demonstrated by Soviet support for Pakistan’s industrialisation, energy projects, and mediation efforts such as the Tashkent Declaration. He emphasised that recent years have seen a meaningful recalibration. High-level exchanges sustained diplomatic engagement, and cooperation in fields such as counterterrorism, defence dialogue, energy, agriculture, and parliamentary contacts mark a new phase of mutual understanding. He underlined that Pakistan recognises Russia’s important role and place within a changing international order and regards the relationship as part of its broader commitment to balanced ties with all major powers.

Pakistan’s Ambassador for Russia Faisal Niaz Tirmizi underlined the significant progress made over the last 30 years. He noted that bilateral trade had reached $1 billion before banking and sanctions-related disruptions, and reaffirmed continued defence cooperation, convergence on Afghanistan, and expanding cultural interest between the two societies. In his video message, Tirmizi called for stronger academic partnerships and greater facilitation for students, scholars and artists from both countries.

Guest of honour Russian Ambassador Albert P Khorev maintained that bilateral ties of Pakistan and Russia are steadily strengthening. He described the book as a “landmark achievement”. He reminded that despite global challenges and ‘illegal Western sanctions,’ cooperation between Pakistan and Russia has broadened across energy, trade, counterterrorism, security coordination, humanitarian exchanges and parliamentary diplomacy. He appreciated Pakistan’s ‘balanced and friendly neutrality’ on major global issues, including the Ukraine conflict, despite pressure from external powers.

He outlined concrete areas of progress: a notable rise in bilateral trade; ongoing discussions on major economic projects such as the reconstruction of Pakistan Steel Mills; and the tripling of Russian government scholarships for Pakistani students. He also highlighted the growth of Russian language centres in Pakistan and the deepening of academic and cultural linkages. He emphasised that Russia views Pakistan as a pivotal regional actor at the crossroads of South, Central and West Asia central to connectivity initiatives, trade corridors and energy projects aligned with President Putin’s ‘Greater Eurasian Partnership’ vision. Ambassador Khorev reiterated Russia’s readiness to support regional stability.

As a discussant, Dr Rasul Bakhsh Rais, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Quaid-i-Azam University, identified emerging areas of convergence counterterrorism, combating radicalism, Afghanistan’s stability, energy security, and the China-Russia-Pakistan cooperation while cautioning that sanctions, financial barriers, historical mistrust and instability in Afghanistan still pose significant challenges. He stressed the need for institutionalised engagement and renewed cultural diplomacy. Dr Vyacheslav Belokrenitsky, Chair of the Near and Middle East Department at the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, commended the book’s structure and scholarly collaboration, noting that it reflects rising Russian academic interest in Pakistan. He recalled that Russian institutions are producing extensive research on Pakistan’s growing relevance in Russia’s foreign policy and expressed confidence that sustained academic cooperation will enhance mutual understanding. Pakistan’s former envoy for Russia, Executive Director of the Centre for International Strategic Studies Sindh (CISSS), Ambassador Qazi M Khalilullah drew on his diplomatic experience in Moscow during both Soviet and modern Russian periods. He observed that contemporary relations rest on mutual respect, goodwill, and expanding cooperation in defence, energy, diplomacy and multilateral forums such as the SCO. Highlighting key milestones including the 2014 defence cooperation agreement and the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline, he noted that academic and institutional linkages are growing, though the full potential of the relationship remains untapped.

Chief Guest former federal minister Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed acknowledged Russia’s principled position at the UN Security Council on Palestine, noting that it reflects Moscow’s broader commitment to a fairer and more equitable global order. Offering a historical perspective on Pakistan-Russia relations, he challenged common misconceptions by recalling early Soviet goodwill towards Pakistan, including the 1949 invitation to Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, support for Kashmir’s self-determination in 1952, and the Soviet offer to build a steel mill in the 1950s. He noted that despite Cold War-era divergences, Pakistan-Russia relations have repeatedly revived from President Ayub Khan’s landmark visit to Moscow in 1965 to renewed engagement after the Soviet period. Drawing on his long association with Russia, Mushahid stressed that today’s rapidly transforming international system marked by ‘declining Western dominance’ and the rise of the ‘Global South’ offers unprecedented opportunities for deeper cooperation. He stated that there are no fundamental conflicts of interest between Islamabad and Moscow, and urged that education, culture, energy and connectivity should anchor the next phase of ties. He endorsed the proposal for a dedicated Eurasian Connectivity Forum in Pakistan, emphasising that a connected Eurasia Russia, China, Central Asia, Iran, Turkey and others will be a key pillar of the emerging multipolar order.

Ambassador Khalid Mahmood said that while the Cold War created constraints, Pakistan-Russia relations were never severed and have since entered a period of steady, meaningful improvement. He highlighted growing convergence on regional stability, connectivity and energy cooperation.