Pakistan-Russia Relations for Regional Peace.

Byline: Ameer Hamza

Russia and Pakistan are exchanging goalposts of Cold War keeping in view the new reginal and geopolitical realities. The enlightenment of bilateral relations would ensure regional peace by settling afghan conflict, bilateral investments in diverse sectors, combating terrorism under the flag of SCO and export market exploration in Pakistan and Eurasia connecting through CPEC.

Pakistan and Russia have bitter historical past dating back to the Cold War times which can be attributed to geopolitical alliances and positions taken by Pakistan. The clouds of Cold War has been shattered and a lot has been changed in post 9/11 strategic environment. Pakistan has fought nerve breaking war against terrorism while Russia resurged in two decades securing a position where it can exert its position in international cooperation and disputes. Both, Russia and Pakistan are switching the goalposts of erstwhile 20th century by rationally weighing bilateral convergences and divergences which obviously indicates the beginning of new era in the region.

It's been a century or so since Russia sought a gateway to Southern waters of Asia and the Britain resort to create a buffer zone, Afghanistan, between British India, today's Pakistan and India, and Russia what Russia practically manifested in Afghan invasion. Pakistan went through a major shift in foreign policy and discredited the British era illusion to keep Russia at arm's length.

In South Asia or Eurasia at large, there are major actors are already in play. China's vision of connectivity, formally called BRI, to Europe through Central Asia and Middle East and Africa through Pakistan raise its stakes in the region. The CPEC, crown jewel of BRI, has offered Pakistan opportunities to define its future of economic development and position in the region. India, arch rival of Pakistan, is seeking status quo in the region while pursuing ambitious military build-up. Putin has derived Russia smartly and it re-emerged in global politics striving for economic development. This made Russia an ally of China and again their opposition of Cold War era is seemingly dismissed. Russia fully endorsed Chinese led BRI and eager to join economic activities in the region. Russia has sided China on key Asian issues like six party Korean talks, South China Sea and the deployment of air defence systems in Korean peninsula by the US and last but not least is Afghanistan.

China and Russia both acknowledge the stakes of...