Pakistan was one of the 35 countries which abstained from voting on a resolution in the UN General Assembly condemning the Russian attack on Ukraine. During the debate, critics of the resolution maintained that it exposed the double standards of the Western nations who have invaded countries including Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan in recent decades. The 35 countries wh5ch abstained from voting included Pakistan, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Pakistan however was alone to receive a warning from the USA for voting against the resolution. It was maintained that the Pakistan government had been briefed on the impact that Russia’s war against Ukraine could have on regional and global security.
On Thursday, hours before the UN General Assembly meeting, 23 foreign diplomats stationed in Pakistan urged Islamabad to condemn Russia’s action  against Ukraine in the UNGA meeting. Besides Japan and Canada the signatories also included ambassadors from European countries. Some of these countries had been especially helpful to Pakistan like the UK, Germany, France, Italy Belgium, Canada and Japan. It is also significant that the British government on Friday unilaterally called off the visit of National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf without assigning any reason.
PM Imran Khan claims that he does not support bloc politics of the Cold War era which is praiseworthy. But populist statements from top leadership of the country could be interpreted differently.
One of the reasons why Pakistan has been singled out from a group of 35 is the uncalled-for provocations to the West coming from the highest quarters in the country. While the USA had not publicly requested for air bases, Mr Khan announced he was absolutely not going to allow the USA to use Pakistani soil as a base. The PM could have used diplomatic channels instead to convey the message. Mr Khan instead indulged in heroics to get political capital at home. Getting a cue, President Alvi claimed in a speech that the USA had not learnt any lesson from Vietnam. President Alvi compared Pakistan’s humanitarian treatment of Afghan refugees contrary to Europe which he said let them drown in the Mediterranean, besides reports of rapes and murders. The uncalled-for statements from highest quarters in Pakistan might have provided a feeling of elation to those who made them, but have been detrimental to the national interest.
