Recalling Liaquat’s Soviet Invitation
Liaquat Ali Khan is often accused of initiating the policy of Pakistan’s tilt towards the United States, by preferring Washington, DC over Moscow, for his first state visit. He is also accused of rejecting the Soviet invitation. Historical evidence, however, suggests that it was Jinnah who had decided that Pakistan would join the American — rather than Russian — block. He had made up his mind even before Partition.
Dennis Kux, a former State Department South Asia specialist, writes on pages 12-13 of his book The United States and Pakistan, 1947-2000: Disenchanted Allies, that US Diplomat Raymond Hare “met Jinnah in May 1947 in New Delhi, and asked him about Pakistan’s future foreign policy.”
“Responding to Hare’s query,” writes Kux, Jinnah said that, “Pakistan would be oriented toward Muslim countries of the Middle East. Since they were weak, ‘Muslim countries would stand together against possible Russian aggression and would look to the US for assistance.’ The Muslim League leader said that although he did not personally share the view, most Indian Muslims thought the United States was unfriendly. They had the impression that the US press and many Americans were against Pakistan.”
Jinnah grew more suspicious of the Russians after Partition; his mistrust of a super power next door will be discussed later.
Contrary to this popular belief, he was, in fact, never invited by the Russians in the first place; instead, the invitation was extracted by Pakistan with some diplomatic manoeuvres.