Russians in Waziristan

Thursday's visit to North Waziristan by a Russian military delegation headed by that country's Deputy Chief of General Staff is an attestation of the truism 'nations have no permanent allies or enemies, only permanent interests.' Not long ago, Pakistan's tribal areas served as a base for the Afghan 'mujahedeen' for fighting the Russian-dominated forces of the erstwhile Soviet Union in Afghanistan. It was a rather exceptional moment therefore to see a Russian military delegation visiting some of the same areas escorted by a senior Pakistani military official, Peshawar Corps Commander Lieutenant General Nazir Ahmad Butt. The area though held special interest for the Russian delegation because prior to the successful launch of the military operation, Zarb-e-Azb, it was used as a sanctuary by Chechen militants and terrorist groups from Central Asian states, such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan which now pays allegiance to the IS.
The visit, however, is part of the realignments under way in the fast changing international power balance that has been shifting from a bipolar world to a unipolar one to the emergence of multiple centres of power: the US, Russia, China and the EU. This presents a unique opportunity to Pakistan, located as it is in a region of vying international interests, to shape up and secure an important place in the new scenario. China, of course, is an old friend and a strategic ally. During the last few years, Islamabad has wisely been pursuing closer, mutually beneficial cooperation with Moscow in different fields. An important step in that direction was the 2014 defence cooperation agreement aimed at promoting security, intensifying counterterrorism efforts, strengthening military collaboration, and sharing experiences. In a follow-up development last year, a Russian contingent participated in Pakistan military's special operations drill codenamed "Druzbha-2016" after Russian word 'friendship.'
The immediate issue of concern to both countries is a negotiated settlement of the Afghan conflict, and Pakistan's worries about the US giving a place at the high table to its arch-rival, India. While China has already been involved in behind-the-scenes peace talks with the Taliban, Russia has taken a bold initiative holding international conferences, inviting Pakistan to play its rightful role alongside China. The next conference is scheduled for April 14. The US certainly does not like to see Russia's increasing assertiveness regarding Afghanistan. When asked the other day, to give his assessment of suspected Russian support for the Afghan Taliban at a congressional hearing, Commander of the US Central Command General Joseph Votel said Russia is providing "some kind of support to them [the Taliban] in terms of weapons or other things that may be there," adding that "they are attempting to be an influential party in this part of the world." It remains to be seen how this rivalry between the two great powers plays out. Pakistan of course has to secure its own interests in the region. In so doing, it need not cause unnecessary annoyance to one or the other side. Its best bet would be a balancing act, using competing international interests to its advantage whilst taking care not to repeat the previous mistake of putting all eggs in the same basket.