Islamabad: New details have emerged about behind-the-scenes discussions before former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Russia in February 2022.
Official records and insider disclosures reveal that despite receiving intelligence from the United States about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, Pakistan’s leadership dismissed the concerns.
Three years later, the trip remains a key reference point in Pakistan’s political discourse and its diplomatic stance on global conflicts.
A few days before Khan’s visit, Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Moeed Yousuf received a call from US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Sullivan shared crucial intelligence about Russia’s plans, but Pakistan rejected it.
Yousuf called US intelligence unreliable, questioning whether it was as false as the claims about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, which were later proven wrong.
Pakistani officials doubted the credibility of US intelligence about Russia’s plan to invade Ukraine. Background briefings, discussions, and interviews with Pakistani officials confirm this.
At a time when international media was predicting an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine, Khan’s decision to visit Russia raised questions. Government officials, former ministers, and security officials were consulted to determine if the military or the foreign office had advised against the trip.
A well-placed source revealed that then-PM Khan consulted then-army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on whether to proceed with the visit and about Russia’s potential invasion.
“The military establishment agreed to Khan’s visit and told him they had no credible information about an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine,” the source said.
One source mentioned that Pakistan had intelligence about Russian troop movement into Ukraine but saw no logistical support behind them. “This suggested that Russia was not planning an immediate invasion, as such an attack would require logistical preparation,” the source explained.
Apart from Pakistani intelligence, Khan’s team also received a call from the US warning about a Russian invasion. Jake Sullivan asked Yousuf, “Is your prime minister visiting Russia?”
Yousuf replied, “Yes.” After that, Sullivan shared the intelligence, but Pakistani officials rejected the caution.
Sources further revealed that despite disregarding US intelligence, Russia invaded Ukraine shortly after Khan arrived, putting his delegation in a difficult position.
They had to decide whether to shorten the visit after meeting Putin. “[Moeed] Yousuf suggested Khan cut the trip short as it was an embarrassing situation,” a source disclosed.
“However, other delegation members insisted on completing the visit as planned,” the source added.
PTI leaders accuse ex-army chief Bajwa of betraying Khan over his Russia policies.
To counter criticism, Khan claimed he signed a deal to import cheap Russian oil and was punished for siding with Russia.
However, sources stated: “There was no oil import deal, and the military never advised against the visit. In fact, the top military leadership supported Khan’s trip.”
