The Dhaka Times Desk The Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) won 130 out of 272 seats in the recent Islamic Republic of Pakistan National Assembly elections. After securing a clear majority in the National Assembly, the PML-N has started talks with other parties to form a coalition government. However, the situation of the country is currently fragile due to the militancy of internal Taliban and some Islamist groups. After all, many countries have a special eye on Pakistan's political transition as a nuclear power in the international arena. The first visible step in Pakistan's post-election change in foreign policy is the visit of Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kiani to Russia this month. With this visit, the influence of foreign powers on Pakistan's internal political instability is going to change.
This is the first state visit by a Pakistani army chief to Russia. Earlier, Pakistan's former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf visited Moscow in 2003 as head of state. General Kiani's visit is expected to end the Cold War-era Islamabad-Moscow tension and usher in a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries.
Pakistan's English daily The Express has confirmed from the country's government sources that General Kiani is visiting Moscow in the second week of this month, which can be called a 'historic' visit. Kiani is expected to be given a warm welcome at the presidential palace Kremlin on behalf of the Russian president. The issue of Delhi-Islamabad, Washington-Islamabad relations will come up during this visit. A senior Pakistani army officer said that during General Kiani's visit, emphasis will be placed on enhancing the relationship between the militaries of the two countries. He also said that now Pakistan has more in common with Russia than America. Both countries are in agreement on ending the ongoing war in Afghanistan. Besides, Moscow and Islamabad have also expressed concern about the presence of foreign troops in war-torn Afghanistan after 2014.
Meanwhile, according to Pakistani and Russian official sources, Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Pakistan in October. So Kiani's visit to Moscow is considered important before his visit.
General Kiani's visit to Russia was scheduled for last month. However, he could not make the trip due to a series of meetings with American officials regarding Pakistan's tension with Washington over the Afghan issue.
Pakistan's foreign policy has been Washington-centric since the country's independence. However, after the recent election victory of the PML-N, the first step shows that Pakistan is moving away from its previous foreign policy. Many analysts see this change as positive for Pakistani politics.
An influential PML-N leader who is the PML-N's foreign policy adviser said the prime objective of Newaj's foreign policy would be to protect the country's interests. Pakistan-US foreign relations are heating up over the US drone strike on the Afghan border. After the Pakistan government's call to stop drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal areas and America not heeding it, it is worrying Pakistan. Newaz and his group see such attacks by Washington as an interference in the freedom of the region. On the other hand, he also said that the new government is thinking anew about Pak-India relations. He also said that under the Nawaz government, Pakistan will emphasize on maintaining friendly relations with all countries in its foreign policy.
It should be noted that the pro-Taliban militants are carrying out various terrorist activities including suicide bombings in Pakistan. Innumerable deaths are occurring. Pakistan supported the US invasion of Afghanistan from the beginning. US forces are using Pakistan's land and airspace. As a result, the internal politics and peace of Pakistan as well as Afghanistan are getting disturbed. In the early stages of the formation of Nawaz Sharif government, the people of the country are now hoping that Nawaz Sharif's government will bring peace back to the country due to the emphasis on good relations with Russia and the establishment of internal peace in PML-N's electoral promises.
News sources:: Ittefaq
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