Will Pakistan join Russia-China Coalition in Syria?

The dangerous development of Middle East is likely posing threat of a third world war. Putin’s decision, right after his meeting with Obama on the sidelines of UNGA session, of launching airstrikes on ISIS targets in Syria flabbergasted not only Washington but the entire world. But most of all, China’s decision to join Russia is being taken not only as a surprise, but an ignition to a most devastating third world war. But to double this surprise, propaganda is being made that Pakistan is likely to join the Russia-China coalition, which may have serious impacts on Islamabad’s relations with various Muslim countries capitals.

China on September 26 deployed its fighter aircraft carrier Shenyang J-15 in the area, alongside the Russian carriers where Putin’s forces are conducting overlapping air campaigns, with a high risk of military clash between the US and Russian forces. China recently carried out joint naval drills with Russia in the Eastern Mediterranean. A number of Chinese military advisers also joined Russian personnel in Latakia, a Syrian province of Assad’s stronghold. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the UN SC meeting, “The world can no longer afford to stand by with its eyes closed on what is going on in Syria.”

Question is why China is jumping into this war? Was it prudent on part of Putin at the first place? Is it wise on part of China to risk the world with consequences of horrendous proportions? The world community indeed is largely waking up to the superpower United States’ unilateral decisions of fomenting first and triggering then wars inside other countries wherever it wants to. Defence analysts believe that the Russian and Chinese leadership must have woken up much earlier. They could have saved Saddam’s Iraq and Qaddafi’s Libya from ruination. Such a coalition should have formed much earlier to exert pressure on the US and take measures to stop it from going too far in imposing preemptive wars on the name of terrorism and for extending democracy of its own choice.

Both Russia and China have stakes in Syria’s oil industry, in which China’s state-owned National Petroleum Corporation holds shares in two of Syria’s largest oil companies, while another Chinese company, Sinochem, holds 50 percent of shares in Syrian oil fields. Reports say that there are indications of the emergence of world’s new superpower axis between China, Russia and Pakistan. According to the report, the world is coming toward a bipolar world with China, Russia, Pakistan and a number of other countries of Central Asia and Middle East on one side, and the US, EU, Japan and their Asian allies on the other side.

Gen Raheel Sharif surprised the media when he pointed out to the ISIS sympathizers sitting in Islamabad. What does that mean? Is it a reference to Blackwater or politicians siding with Washington? Gen Raheel has many a time vowed to safeguard CPEC at all costs, while it is apparently a Nawaz government initiative. Is forming a Russia-China-Pakistan alliance in best interest of Pakistan? Islamabad has to realize that in such a situation the loser will be only the weaker partner.