Russia sanctions adding to Pakistan’s woes

Pakistan on Friday admitted that it is enduring the negative fallout of the Western sanctions on Russia and other countries, saying the situation is aggravating and complicating its economic challenges.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, the western countries, led by the US, have imposed sanctions on Russia including on its energy sector.

The conflict coupled with western sanctions have shot up the energy prices and disrupted the supply chains.

This has resulted in the increase in oil prices, which have shown some respite this week.

Chinese President Xi Jinping addressing a business forum ahead of the BRICS [five emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa] summit, decried western sanctions on Russia, especially those of the US, saying that they were weaponising the economy and this was a double-edged sword affecting everyone.

Pakistan is also being negatively affected by the oil crisis and like other developing countries, it risks inviting western sanctions if it tries to import energy products from Russia.

Islamabad has failed to complete the multi-billion dollar Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project fearing western sanctions.

When asked to comment on the Chinese president’s remarks, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar acknowledged that the country’s economic challenges had been aggravated by the western sanctions on Russia in reaction to its invasion of Ukraine.

“In principle, our historic position on sanctions is well known. We believe that if this instrument has to be used, it should be used through the mechanisms that are internationally available that is through the UN,” he added while responding to the question.

“What I can say is that on the situation in Ukraine we have clarified our position from the beginning and it remains the same,” he said. “The situation is unfortunate and it has led to many consequences, which have serious impact on the international community, particularly the developing countries, and as you said on countries like Pakistan and others who are facing the consequences of the situation.”

The FO spokesperson said perhaps these consequences are “further aggravated and complicated by the sanctions that come into play”.

Responding to a recent statement by Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval that New Delhi would engage with Pakistan on its terms, the spokesperson said his remarks were nothing new.

“Our position vis-à-vis the importance of friendly cooperative relations with neighbours including India, the need for dialogue – a dialogue which is result-oriented and meaningful, and which can lead to progress on outstanding issues including particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute – is very clear.”

He elaborated that the environment for such a dialogue was not there and this is what the foreign minister also said recently.

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He said the environment had been vitiated by Indian actions, and the onus was therefore on New Delhi to take necessary steps to create an environment which will be conducive for dialogue.

“Now what the Indians have been saying all along, this bogey of terrorism, it’s an old repeated, parroted position. It has no locus standi, especially coming from India which itself is a state sponsor of terrorism, involved in supporting, financing, perpetrating terrorism and sabotage in Pakistan over the years, including in the past through its presence in Afghanistan,” Iftikhar added.

The spokesperson said New Delhi had also used the ploy of terrorism to undermine the legitimate struggle for self-determination of the Kashmiri people and to divert the attention of the international community from its widespread atrocities and human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). “So, our position on that is quite clear.”

When asked to explain the context of the summoning of the Canadian high commissioner, the spokesperson informed reporters that the diplomat was called to the Foreign Office over the remarks made in the Canadian parliament recently by one of its members.

“We have taken up this issue with the Canadian government. We have underlined that freedom of expression entails responsibility, and that Pakistan takes serious exception to the baseless and unsubstantiated remarks that have been made.”

He, however, underlined that Pakistan and Canada enjoy multifaceted relationship and Islamabad wished to deepen its bilateral ties based on mutual respect and trust. “Such incidents are not helpful in that context.”