Last-minute snub: Russia’s anti-narcotics chief cancels visit to Pakistan

Ivanov was to attend an international conference on narcotics control this month.

ISLAMABAD:

Senior anti-drugs official Viktor Ivanov on Friday became the second high-profile Russian after President Vladimir Putin to cancel his trip to Pakistan at the eleventh hour in the last three months.

A senior official of the Foreign Office expressed concern over the sudden tour cancellation by the head of the Russian Federal Drug Control Service. “The calling-off of his visit to Pakistan at the last minute is a disturbing development for Islamabad,” he said.

This latest snub has left Islamabad confused over the fate of its future ties with Russia.

Sources told the Express Investigation Cell (EIC) on Thursday that Ivanov, a close aide to President Putin, was scheduled to visit Pakistan from November 11 to 13 to attend a two-day international conference on narcotics control in Islamabad.

Pakistan had invited many international players directly or indirectly affected by narcotics smuggling. Russia was seen as a key participant at the conference and Pakistan made intense efforts over the last two months to ensure that Moscow would send high-level officials at the conference.

Pakistan also wanted to give the impression to the world that its bilateral ties with Moscow were on the right track through the narcotics control conference.

The Foreign Office received a message from Moscow of Ivanov’s unavailability for the conference. The message created confusion among Pakistani authorities, as they could not comprehend what compelled Moscow to cancel his participation.

Officials representing the Foreign Office, the interior ministry’s interior division and the narcotics control ministry had made all the necessary arrangements for his meetings with Pakistani officials on the sidelines of the conference. Ivanov was scheduled to have exclusive meetings with top level policy-makers and decision- makers in Islamabad during his stay.

After, receiving the message from Moscow regarding the cancellation of his visit, officials had to also cancel the scheduled meetings between Ivanov and his Pakistani counterparts.

Instead, a lower level delegation will represent Russia at the conference, something Pakistani authorities believe may not serve the purpose of highlighting the importance of the conference. Among the countries that have confirmed their participation at the conference include the US, Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan.

The authorities believe that in light of the menace of narcotics that has plagued Pakistan for decades, hosting the conference would help improve its image internationally.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2012.