PN Report
ISLAMABAD: The Embassy of Russia in Pakistan hosted the presentation of the book _”The Ukraine War: Beyond the Headlines”_ by Pakistani journalist and analyst Munir Ahmed.
The discussion featured H.E. Ambassador Albert P. Khorev; Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, former Chairman of the Senate Committees on Foreign Affairs and Defence; Ambassador Masood Khan, former Ambassador of Pakistan to China and the United States; Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Asad Durrani, former Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI); Dr. Almas Haider Naqvi, PhD Scholar at the School of Politics and International Relations, Quaid-i-Azam University; and Dr. Gul-i-Ayesha Bhatti, Assistant Professor at the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST). The event brought together prominent members of Pakistan’s academic community and media.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Khorev thanked the author for his intellectual courage in documenting facts that challenge prevailing Western narratives.
He highlighted the book’s academic value, noting that it draws on official documents and data from the United Nations and other international organizations. The book seeks to shed light on the underlying causes of the conflict in Ukraine, focusing on NATO’s eastward expansion in breach of commitments made in the 1990s, as well as the policies of the Ukrainian and EU leadership that compelled Russia to launch the special military operation.
“Consider the irony. Ukraine was meant to be a battering ram aimed at destroying Russia’s statehood. Instead, it has become a boomerang hitting Western economies,” he said.
Ambassador Khorev stressed that Russia’s objectives are not territorial in nature, but rather concern border security, protection of the Russian-speaking population, and the fight against the spread of neo-Nazism.
“Russia remains open to dialogue and peace. But peace must be based on justice, respect for the legitimate security interests of all parties, and recognition of the realities on the ground,” he noted.
The Russian Ambassador also focused on the damaging consequences of Western sanctions and efforts to target the so-called “shadow fleet” for global food and energy security.
In closing, Ambassador Khorev expressed gratitude to Pakistan’s leadership for maintaining a neutral position and reaffirmed Russia’s readiness to expand bilateral cooperation across all areas.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed noted that developing relations with Russia is one of Pakistan’s key foreign policy priorities. He described NATO as a “relic of the past” and criticized the West’s policy of “demonizing” Russia, arguing that it had contributed to the decline of the Western rules-based order.
Ambassador Masood Khan praised Munir Ahmed’s work and called for an early end to the conflict. He emphasized the special responsibility of Russia and the United States for maintaining strategic stability and highlighted the considerable potential for Russia-Pakistan cooperation in economic and humanitarian spheres.
Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Asad Durrani outlined the historical context of Russia’s relations with Western countries, noting that NATO’s gradual eastward expansion prompted Russia to take active countermeasures.
Dr. Almas Haider Naqvi drew attention to biased and one-sided coverage of the Ukraine conflict in Western media, pointing to the use of Ukraine as an instrument to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.
Dr. Gul-i-Ayesha Bhatti highlighted the shortage of English-language academic material presenting Russia’s perspective on key international issues. She noted that Munir Ahmed’s book offers a more comprehensive picture of events, rather than reducing the conflict to “a simple story with a single villain.”
Munir Ahmed’s book will soon be available in bookstores across Pakistan and can also be purchased online through Amazon.
