PAK-USSR [14] (1947+)

Question 1

When did the USSR first invite a Pakistani leader for an official visit, and what happened?

Answer 1

• The USSR invited Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan for an official visit in 1950.
• However, before his departure, he received an invitation from the USA and opted to visit America instead.
• This decision caused tensions between Pakistan and the USSR, as it signaled Pakistan’s preference for the USA over the Soviet Union.

Question 2

How did Pakistan’s alliance with the USA affect its relations with the USSR in the 1950s?

Answer 2

• In the 1950s, Pakistan aligned itself with the USA by joining military pacts such as SEATO in 1954 and CENTO in 1955, both of which were anti-Soviet alliances.
• This confirmed Pakistan’s pro-US stance and further strained relations with the USSR, which viewed these alliances as a threat to its influence in the region.

Question 3

What was the U2 crisis, and how did it affect Pakistan-USSR relations?

Answer 3

• In 1960, Pakistan allowed the USA to use its Badaber airbase near Peshawar to launch a U2 spy plane to gather intelligence on the USSR.
• The plane was shot down by Soviet forces, and its pilot, Gary Powers, was captured.
• He revealed that the aircraft had flown from Pakistan, leading the USSR to issue a direct warning to Pakistan, threatening serious consequences if such activities continued. This significantly worsened relations between the two countries.

Question 4

When and why did Pakistan begin improving relations with the USSR?

Answer 4

• Pakistan began improving relations with the USSR in 1961 following the U2 crisis.
• Ayub Khan, the Chief Martial Law Administrator, sought to reduce tensions and maintain friendly ties with the USSR.
• As a goodwill gesture, the USSR agreed to explore oil reserves in Pakistan.
• Relations improved further in 1963 when the USSR loaned Pakistan £11 million and took a neutral stance on the Kashmir issue after previously favoring India.

Question 5

What role did the USSR play in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965?

Answer 5

• The USSR played a mediating role in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 by hosting the Tashkent Peace Conference in 1966.
• President Ayub Khan of Pakistan and Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri attended the talks, which resulted in the Tashkent Declaration.
• This agreement called for a ceasefire and withdrawal of troops, strengthening Pakistan’s diplomatic ties with the USSR.

Question 6

How did Pakistan-USSR relations reach their peak in the 1970s?

Answer 6

• Under Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in the early 1970s, Pakistan shifted its foreign policy away from the USA and towards the USSR.
• Pakistan withdrew from SEATO, signaling a reduction in its alignment with anti-Soviet alliances.
• In response, the USSR provided financial aid and technical expertise for the construction of the Pakistan Steel Mill in 1973, marking a high point in relations between the two nations.

Question 7

How did Pakistan’s role in US-China relations affect its ties with the USSR?

Answer 7

• In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Pakistan played a key role in bringing the USA and China closer.
• This angered the USSR, which viewed China as a rival.
• As a result, relations between Pakistan and the USSR deteriorated, and in 1971, the USSR fully supported India with military aid during the Indo-Pakistani War, which led to Pakistan’s defeat and the creation of Bangladesh.

Question 8

Why did Pakistan-USSR relations deteriorate in 1979?

Answer 8

• Relations between Pakistan and the USSR deteriorated sharply in 1979 when the USSR invaded Afghanistan.
• Pakistan, under General Zia-ul-Haq, accepted American aid to support the Afghan mujahideen rebels fighting against Soviet forces.
• This led to direct hostility between Pakistan and the USSR, with the Soviet Union even conducting bombing raids near Pakistan’s border in retaliation

Question 9

How did the USSR react to Pakistan’s support for the Afghan Mujahideen?

Answer 9

• The USSR strongly opposed Pakistan’s support for the Afghan Mujahideen.
• Although Zia-ul-Haq visited Moscow in 1984 for the funeral of Soviet leader Yuri Andropov, he was given a cold reception.
• Later that year, the USSR escalated tensions by conducting bombing raids along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
• The strained relations continued throughout the 1980s until the USSR withdrew from Afghanistan in 1988.

Question 10

How did Pakistan-USSR relations change after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan?

Answer 10

• The USSR withdrew from Afghanistan in 1988, but by then, Pakistan-USSR relations had significantly weakened due to Pakistan’s close ties with the USA during the Afghan Jihad and by 1991, the Soviet Union itself collapsed, marking the end of an era of Soviet-Pakistani relations.

Question 11

In conclusion, has Pakistan had good relations with the USSR since 1947?

Answer 11

• Overall, Pakistan’s relations with the USSR were marked by more tension than cooperation.
• Although there were periods of improved relations, such as in the 1960s and early 1970s, but Pakistan’s consistent alignment with the USA, and participation in anti-Soviet alliances led to frequent hostilities.
• The rivalry peaked during the Afghan War in the 1980s, further straining ties.
• Therefore, it can be argued that Pakistan did not have consistently good relations with the USSR since 1947.