Time was when we had been supporting Afghan Mujahideen in their armed struggle against the Soviets in Afghanistan in 1980s. If we go further back in history didn’t we give a small landing strip near Peshawar at Badaber in 1960s to the Americans from where an American spy plane U2 used to take off to Soviet union for photographing Russian military installations till the day when it was shot down by the Soviets and got hold of its pilot alive who then spilled the beans to the Russians.
After a long period of tense relations between Moscow and Islamabad snow finally melted recently and relation between the two countries have now become normal. Islamabad had better now ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself and relationship between Russia and Pakistan is further cemented. Russia is our next door neighbour, One can change friends but not neighbours. Seen in the context of this background the recent invitation of the prime minister to the Russian president Putin to visit Pakistan is a farsighted decision for which he deserves plaudits.
