Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. AFP / Farooq NAEEM

Vladimir Putin denounced Islamophobia last month and by this month-end, the Russian president will host the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Imran Khan.

Encouraged by China, Khan is taking a nuclear-powered Pakistan into the Sino-Russia camp after he refused to show the green signal to the US request to set up a military base in Pakistan following the Afghanistan pullout was completed by the US troops in September 2021

Imran Khan is fresh from his four four-day visit to Beijing, where, apart from witnessing the inauguration of the Beijing Winter Olympics Feb. 4, diplomatically boycotted by the US and its allies, former cricketer-turned-prime minister met Xi Jinping, Chinese President, to take the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, among others, to the next level.

According to Khan, the China-Pakistan friendship, "between iron brothers," was "an anchor for peace and stability in the region "

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Feb. 7 said Khan will visit Moscow this month at the invitation of Putin.

Interestingly, Qureshi disclosed Khan's visit, the first by a Pakistani prime minister in 23 years to embark on a bilateral visit to Russia, while briefing on the prime minister's recently concluded visit to China on whom Pakistan is now dependent for financial, economic and defense assistance in a significant way.

For Putin, who is facing troubles over Ukraine with the West, Khan has in store mega projects in the spheres of economy, trade, defense and energy to aid his troubling economy.

For the oil-rich Russia, Khan is seeking help to set up the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline Project, a north-south gas pipeline of length of over 1100 kilometers transporting imported gas from the port city of Karachi to the vital province of Punjab. The flagship project will be built by Russia with exclusive ownership for the first 25 years.

Russia will be exploring options to sell more lethal arms to Pakistan, something it avoided in the past because of India's concerns. Pakistan's military ties with Russia improved since 2015 and eventually lead to regular joint military exercises since 2016.

Besides, the two countries have aired the same views on key regional and international issues, including the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

The last time an elected Pakistani prime minister visited Russia on a bilateral visit was in March 1999 during the tenure of Nawaz Sharif.

Khan has already ensured that his high-profile visit to Moscow yields in rich dividends. He has exchanged multiple telephone calls with Putin and appreciated Putin's emphatic statement that freedom of speech could not be used as a pretext to abuse the Prophet Jan. 17.

Khan hopes Putin will reciprocate by visiting Islamabad anytime soon.

The visit, expected to take place from Feb. 23 to 26, is going to be a game-changer owing to geostrategic realignments taking place regionally. Besides, it is not short of optical significance.

Of late, the ties between Pakistan and the US are not cordial. President Joe Biden has not held a telephonic discussion with Khan after assuming office in January 2021.

Khan's Russia visit will be a clear signal to the West, especially after Islamabad stood up against the US request on starting a military base in Pakistan.

After being snubbed by Biden, Khan is finding Putin a better ally and XI Jinping a better mentor to put three nuclear powers on one platform.