Excellent analysis by Sir Fatman, though I'd like to add Chechnya to the list. The way we handled things there didn't do us good.
But Cold War is a closed chapter and Russia is a different country than the Sovjet Union. We're looking at a semi-capitalist giant, a revived technological powerhouse with growing influence and interest in the region. We should try to engage Iran who's a close ally of Russia as a broker between Islamabad and Moscow, the dame way Israel helped India to get closer to USA.
IPI contracts or atleast a significant share should be given to Gazprom to build CBM.
fully agreed with neo.
One of the most outstanding things Russia did to us was building our very own Steal Mill near Karachi.
we have massive coal reserves in Thar Balochistan. Some Chinese Geologists working on gold and copper mining in balochistan say the coal reserves of pakistan are so huge that it can be compared to SaudiaArabian oil reserves in terms of Energy Production. Today Chinese have bought almost 70% of the copper reserves from Balochistan for its growing wire making ,consumer electronics and computer hardware manufacturing industries. There are some companies from singapore malasia and australia which are drilling places in Balochistan which can produce enough oil and gas to fullfill all our local demands.
Currently China is the bigest contractor for exploiting the resources of Balochistan.
But we can give the Russians a simillar contract to extract oil and gas from Balochistan at same time also alow it to manufactur large numbers of clean coal power plants which can be run on locally extracted coal. On the other hand we should also engage Moscow in a nuclear power plant deal simillar to that of US-India.
We should also allow the Iranian Food processing and Cosmetick Industries to be set up in Gawadar or Pasni.
We should engage with China to set up an auto Industry in Pakistan which can produce fuel efficent and reliable cars.
Only by getting these things done we can opt for milletary deals with Russia.
Such Deals can creat millions of jobs in our country and can make us self sufficent in Power production and Food production and will make our economy equivalanet to that of India may be.
But as Usuall there are limitations and alot of hinderence.
First of All We are fighting a highly demanding Proxy War on terror on NWFP and Baloch front .
We are fighting BLA and the army of Sardar Akhtar Mengal in Balochistan.
Its not an Indian-Israel-US interest to see pakistan prosper economically and milletarilly.
They want Pakistan to borrow money from them & I-M-F forever .And with the borrowing money they want some cruel conditions to be fullfiled forever.
BUT their is solution to all problems and limitations which require time.
I m ready to bet million $s on the fact that US canot last in Afghanistan Forever one day they will have to withdraw from this extreemly hostile teritory . Its impossible to fight and win War from those who have been fighting wars since their last ten generations.
We should increase our troops strength. At least one Armored Core ,One Artillary Core and One more Infantary Core is required for Balochistan. We must devote at least 50 fighter jets for maintaining air superioritry in Baloch Skies with their centrel base at Smogli Quetta and another strong air base at gawader and one in Nushki. We should have considerable naval strength to patroll and protect the precious warm waters of Balochistan.
Most importantly we sould involve China and Iran to establish their strategik naval and air bases in Balochistan.