After Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan’s maiden visit to Russia Pakistan is now in deep diplomatic trouble because top diplomats of 22 countries, including European Union member states are calling on the government of Pakistan to support a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
It must be noted that Russia started its attack on Ukraine the very day when Imran Khan was meeting President Vladimir Putin and Khan had famously said the Ukraine crisis had nothing to do with Pakistan and his nation does not want to join any bloc.
In a joint statement signed by envoys from 22 countries that reads, “As heads of mission to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, we urge Pakistan to join us in condemning Russia’s actions,”.
Signatories included EU member states Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands, as well as Australia, Canada, Japan, Norway, Switzerland and Britain.
It is ironic that Pakistan for a long time has been trying to better its relationship with Russia so it can get access to Russian energy projects, but it is the EU that is its top export market along with the United States and now it seems, Pakistan has bitten the hand that feeds it.
The EU gave Pakistan special trade status, the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP+), which lowers entry tariffs but now its abstention will not go unpunished.
However, for damage control a Pakistan foreign office spokesman in Islamabad said asked members of the international community to “exchange perspectives” on the situation and “We have all along advocated dialogue and continued engagement to de-escalate and work for a diplomatic solution,” he said.
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