Ans: Pak-Russian relations:
1. Diplomatic relations were established between both countries in May 1948,
and the next year Mr. Shoaib Qureshi was appointed the Pakistani
Lambassador in Russia. Even before the appointment of the ambassadors, on
behalf of the Russian Prime Minister Marshal Joseph Stalin an invitation to
visit Russia had been sent to Pakistani Prime Minister Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan
on June 1949. The month of August was suggested for this visit; however,
he ignored this and went on a visit to America. The same year, in July, a
trade delegation from Russia came to Pakistan and this delegation’s visit too
was almost a failure because there was no agreement decided between both
the countries. After the Russian invitation, the American President Truman
also invited the Pakistani Prime Minister for a.visit which was immediately
accepted. As a consequence of this step, a gulf was created between Russia
and Pakistan which has not been filled till today. Liaquat Ali Khan visited
America in 1950 and Russia declared Pakistan a biased country.
2. In March 1956, in the Russian capital Moscow, the Pakistani Consulate held
a function to celebrate “Pakistan Day”. The Russian foreign minister Molotov
also participated and offered to help Pakistan set up a steel rerolling mill the
same way it had helped India set up a steel rerolling mill.
3. Both countries signed an agreement in March 1961, according to which
Russia had to explore for oil in Pakistan. Russia also accepted that it would
send it experts to Pakistan for five years to search for gas. As a result of
this agreement, it helped to lessen the tension created previously to quite on
extent. After two years, air service began between the two countries. In
1964, both the countries agreed for technical and scientific cooperation and
so relations between the two countries started improving to some extent
4. In 1965, the President of Pakistan, Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan
visited Russia. Three pacts were signed between the two countries
according to which the amount of the previous trade was doubled. Russia
announced that it would give a loan of Rs.15 crore to Rs.25 crore. And
according to a cultural agreement, an exchange of different art experts,
students, writers and artistes and in addition radio and TV programmes was
agreed upon. Russia also announced aid for the third five year plan
5. In January 1966, after the Indo-Pak war of 1985, Russia brokered an
agreement between India and Pakistan in Tashkent and helped resolve the
issues of the return of the prisoners and occupied areas.
6. After East Pakistan became Bangladesh, a new era began. In 1971, when
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came into power, he felt that despite the CENTO and
SEATO treaties, America had not helped Pakistan, so he announced that
Pakistan had withdrawn those treaties.
7. According to an agreement between both the countries in 1973, Russia gave
a generator and important equipment for a thermal electricity plant. The
same year, the planned steel mill was given its final touches in Karachi. The
mill construction started in December 1973,
8. In 1998, to resolve the Afghan issue, an agreement was decided which was
named the Geneva Pact. In addition to Pakistan and Afghanistan, America and
Russia also signed it. According to this pact, Russia decided to withdraw its
forces within 9 months; therefore, by the middle of 1989, the whole force was
withdrawn from Afghanistan. Now, cooperation between both countries is
ongoing in different fields.