Russia-Pakistan Military Cooperation Challenges U.S. over Afghanistan

Pakistan was the allied ally of the U.S. in the cold war as it fought American war with the USSR in Afghanistan. American establishment took the advantages of the special status of allied ally and turned sovereign Pakistan into a vassal state. In fact, Pakistan went into American camp after the divide of the subcontinent into India and Pakistan under the British Scheme immediately after the world war 2. Russia was the first country who welcomed Pakistan as an independent state by considering newly born Pakistan as its natural ally. But unfortunately Pakistan had chosen the USA over the USSR, as a result, its traditional foe; India became the strategic partner of Russia.  

But it does not mean that Pakistan was not a good relation with the USSR. The founder of Pakistan’s foreign policy, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto attempted to adopt a balanced approach between world superpowers during his decade-long historical tenure. All weather Friendship bond with Beijing and good relations with Moscow established throughout 1970 to 1980. This Islamabad’s tilt towards rising superpower centers was unaffordable for the USA. As a result, Americanization of Pakistan took place with the CIA sponsored coup d'état against Bhutto rule. The American dominance over Pakistan’s affairs cultivated pentagon’s Jihad dogma by using radicalization of Islam with the aim to use religion and sub-nationalism for the geopolitical purpose. 

 

American deep state introduced Zbigniew Brzezinski’s Strategy in Muslim populated areas including Afghanistan and Pakistan intended to prevent rising Russia and China. To liberate Muslim populated areas from foreign rule (non-Muslim rule or secular Muslim rule), Islamic jihad was accelerated with this aim that Muslim world (Islamic order) would be used for the benefit of American interests. Many muslin countries on the name of democracy and the so-called war on terror were destroyed totally. Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria became direct victims while Pakistan was saved by its army. Pakistan took 40 years to take U-Turn with the aim to prevent the misuse of Jihad which was tailored by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to making Islamic world work towards US interests. Pakistan’s army chief at Munich Security Conference exposed the proprietors of the liberal free world as he said, “The Frankenstein was actually created by the liberal free world, with willing, but myopic cooperation from our side after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Therefore, we all are responsible for making the world population in general and Muslim population in particular, hostage to this extremist ideology.” 

The continuous systematic changes on geopolitical arena brought basic changes in Pakistan’s international relations. The American duplicity over its so-called war on terror convinced Pakistan to secure its state writ and territorial integrity from US-sponsored three evils; Extremism, Terrorism, and Separation. In fact, the US/NATO military presence in Afghanistan is spreading the three evils to all regional countries including Central Asia, China, and Pakistan. It was the Pakistan who provided logistic and military support to Washington led Army invasion in Afghanistan but unfortunately, Washington has stabbed back to Pakistan by fueling chaos through ethnic and religious conflicts. 

 

 

In fact comeback of Russia on the world stage has changed the whole scenario as it has appeared winner against unipolar proxies from the Muslim world to Eastern Europe. Victory over Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria has given a charge to Russia in fighting terrorism and provided the opportunity to Russia in leading the Muslim world to overcome the radicalization of Islam.  Russia has become the hope for all war-torn countries which were destroyed by the USA and its allies in the name of so-called War on Terror.  Actually, the situation in Afghanistan is directly linked with Syria because ISIS claimed Afghanistan and other adjacent areas as the province of Islamic State while growing influence of Daesh in Afghanistan under the umbrella of US and NATO troops has become alarming not only for Russia but the entire region.  

 

Russia warned time after time to Pakistan and Afghanistan for the emerging threat of ISIS but unfortunately, the ruling regime in Kabul did not only ignored this warning but it acted as a puppet to promote the unipolar proxies in the heart of Eurasia. It is reported that Pentagon’s warmongers secretly transferred ISIS terrorists from Syria to Afghanistan after the Russian allies’ victory over terrorism in the Middle East by restoring Syrian Sovereignty. Bluntly speaking, Muslim populated areas adjacent with the rising powers of Eurasia; China and Russia are on a target list. In this emerging regional scenario, Pakistan’s victory over terrorism has become a hope for both China and Russia as Pakistan’s military has got success to restore peace. It is the only Muslim army in the world who has a successful experience in fighting against US-sponsored terrorism as once Pakistan Army was the part of Brzezinski’s Strategy in the Muslim world. But now Pakistan has become an independent as it is no more dependent on the USA. In fact, Pakistan has defeated America in secret war in this region. This is the main reason of new regional alignment between Russia and Pakistan. Russia has offered her shoulder to Pakistan intended to bring peace and stability in the region as Moscow is helping Islamabad to defuse war. 

 

 In fact, the USA has waged war on Pakistan by strengthening India-Afghanistan nexus. Hybrid war on Pakistan has become a visible as liberal warmongers are attempting to alter the landscape of regional map by installing the artificial states, mostly in the Muslim world. The uprising of religious and ethnic conflicts hinted that the US wants to punish Pakistan as it has refused to “Do More “in Washington led so-called war on terror. Pakistan has not only defeated America in its secret war but it has also got success in installing the powerful firewall against the war waged by NATO/US+India.  First time in the history, former foes of the cold war; Russia and Pakistan are going to share each other shoulders in this new cold war. At the eve of 70 years of diplomatic relations, both countries constitute a strategic partnership by intensifying military cooperation. Russia and Pakistan are teaming up to systemize new set-up of international relations which reflects the multipolar transition in the region, especially in the Muslim world as Pakistan becomes the valuable strategic partner of Russia being the ‘Zipper of Eurasian Integration’.  

 

 

Hence it is the reason that Washington has not only walked away from this Moscow-led peace talks but it is also fueling religious and sub-nationalist movements against the region by taking the advantages of military presence Afghanistan. If put “American new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan (Af-Pak)” under a microscope, we can easily scrutinize the “Greater Balochistan” and “Greater Pashtunistan” like the campaign against Pakistan’s territorial integrity as Western media is already propagating anti-state narrative in Pakistan. Unfortunately, some regional actors and hostile agencies are using terror as a policy tool against the region, especially against China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as it has become the flagship of the project of China’s Belt and Road initiatives.   In fact, the nexus between Indian secret service Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghan Intelligence the National Directorate of Security (NDS) has given a birth to the Tehreek-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has also linked with Uyghur’s ETIM. As it was long stated by Pakistan, “the Indian Govt has financed TTP for the killing of over 60,000 innocent Pakistani’s through its vicious proxy war waged against the Pakistani civilians from Afghanistan.” This campaign of terror was India's attempt to dismember Pakistan through internal instability as it did so in East Pakistan in 1971.

 

Naturally, Pakistan’s geographical location turned it into a zipper as it is zipping up Russia’s Greater Eurasia with China’s Silk Road. CPEC provides shortest land access to China while the transit trade routes of Pakistan along this CPEC connect South Asia with Eurasian heartland (Central Asia). This unique geo-strategic significance of Pakistan has provided an opportunity to the multipolar world to repair the damages in the region which were dealt by the USA. Therefore now Moscow, the old friend of New Delhi is shaping a new regional friendship with Islamabad aimed at minimizing the US hegemony in South Asia and Central Asia. Putin’s druzhba/friendship diplomacy towards Pakistan by ignoring Indian concerns hinted that Russia needs Pakistan to counter American new great game. Because Kremlin has counted the Indian Arrow in the pentagon’s quiver as Modi is turning an independent India into American vassal state. Although India is the part of Eurasian multimodal institutional mechanism as it was admitted in the multipolar institutions; BRICS and SCO. Russia is still hopeful that India will return to the regionalism as Pakistan – once an ally of the US – becomes a new strategic partner of Russia.