AS the Ukraine conflict drags on, with no immediate solution to the crisis on the horizon, members of the international community — including Pakistan — are being confronted with the dilemma of how to react to the events. Members of the Western bloc have responded to the Russian invasion with schemes to isolate Moscow from the international order, while other states are treading more cautiously. In such a situation, Pakistan has to consider its relations with the US and EU, as well as not jeopardising ties with Russia. However, without joining any blocs, it is clear that Pakistan has a responsibility to condemn the invasion of a sovereign country, along with calling for a cessation of hostilities. As it stands, this country has chosen not to participate in the UN General Assembly’s emergency session called to discuss the Ukraine crisis. While a Pakistani diplomat told this paper that this country “will not take sides”, the majority of the states that participated in the discussion in the UNGA session called for an end to the war, with Secretary General António Guterres terming the “escalating violence … totally unacceptable”. Even China and India, which had abstained during an earlier UNSC vote to censure Russia, participated in the UNGA discussion.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has mentioned the Ukraine crisis during his address to the nation on Monday night. He said that Pakistan intended to import Russian wheat and gas, thus implying that this country should not get on Moscow’s wrong side. While maintaining and balancing relations — political, strategic and economic — with global players is an integral part of any country’s foreign policy, moral imperatives cannot be forgotten. Russia’s justifications for its invasion of Ukraine hardly stand up to scrutiny and despite Nato’s sabre-rattling in this case, the violation of Kyiv’s sovereignty cannot be condoned. Pakistan should state this without ambiguity, while continuing to call for an end to hostilities and a negotiated settlement to the crisis. The pressure in the days to come will mount, especially if the crisis drags on. Representatives of foreign missions in Pakistan, mostly belonging to the Western camp, have called on this country to condemn the Russian invasion in a joint letter. Pakistan will have to carefully and intelligently navigate the choppy waters ahead by condemning the aggression, while at the same time refusing to be drawn into bloc politics as geopolitical changes occur with incredible swiftness.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2022