PAKISTAN’S ROLE IN SOVIET

WAR
[1979-1989]

Assignment 2
From: Hussain Mohy ud Din

Roll no: 18L-1032

Section: CS-A

To: Prof. Tahir Rasheed

 INTRODUCTION

Context:
Former Soviet Union (USSR) attacked Afghanistan on December the
25th,1979, for a number of causes. As the Soviets were die-hard communists
so the Soviets invaded Afghanistan to support their troubled allies in the
Afghan communist government. The Afghan government were facing
rebellion from the Afghan people, largely anti-communist, who in hatred
with the government’s non-Islamic reforms gathered as Mujahideen. As it
was the cold war time and to increase their monopoly in the region, the
soviets decided to well enjoy the opportunity to make their presence in the
region. This move was pretty much worrying for the US and company and
they resolved to make it impossible for the soviets to make through
Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s Reaction:
Pakistan also could not afford the war in their neighborhood as a huge
influx of Afghan people had started and almost 2.8 million refugees rushed
into Pakistan. Thus, to cope with this situation, the two allies Pakistan and
the US also gathered on this issue to challenge the Soviets in the region.

Afghan Resistance:
The US supplied the Mujahideen with arms and with the improvisation
of safe haven from the Pakistan side, the soviet’s found it nearly impossible
to overcome the mujahideen. A call was made to all the Muslim world to
partake in the wage against the infidel Soviets. The mujahideen guerillas
were provided with refuge, intelligence information and resources by
Pakistan. Moreover, almost 90000 afghans were trained by Pakistan’s ISI
(Inter-Services Intelligence) to fight against the soviets in the 80s. Thus, the
history tells us that Pakistan with the assistance of the funds of the US and by
providing every kind of support for the Afghan freedom fighter militants
paved the way to the ultimate chaos of the USSR and made Afghanistan, the
Vietnam for the Soviets.
 The nurturing of the Afghan Mujahideen
The govt. of Pakistan headed by the military dictator and Islamic
reformist Zia ul Haqq planned to support the afghan mujahideen in the
name of Islamic Jihad. The professional army of Pakistan trained the militant
groups of Afghanistan. They were jeweled with the latest technology and
warfare skills. Thus, the soviets were challenged by the zealous
mujahideen who after being trained in the Pakistani camps became a
nightmare for the soviets and prolonged their damaging stay in
Afghanistan.

Providing Safe Havens to the militants

There were a lot of safe camps and shelters provided to the
mujahideen by the Pakistan side. The groups fighting in Afghanistan were
faced by such an enemy who got continuous supplies from across the
border. The frontline militants were constantly replaced by the fresh troops
coming from safe havens in Pakistan. This boggled the soviet troops
continuously fighting the militants.

Dominance of Indian allies in the Region

Since their creation, Pakistan and India had been on adversary to each
other and since then, clear power groups had been in form. Pakistan went
for the US and India joined the Soviet’s partnership. Pakistan joined the war
in order to nullify the monopoly of the Indian allies in the region along with
the partnership of the US.

Western Weapons channeled through Pakistan

The weapons and the monetary aid provided to the mujahideen was
provided by the Occidentals and the US. The mujahideen used a wide
variety of modern warfare ammunition from stinger missiles to even the
tanks and helicopters provided by the US and the NATO forces to
encounter the soviets. There were bases on the Pakistan side and the US
made ammunition depots, that were meant to provide continuous supplies
for the mujahideen.
 Possible danger of a lately invasion on Pakistan
As exposed by some ex-soviet army generals and mainly by several
defense analysts and journalists that the USSR was intended to get excess to
the Arabian sea. The geographical location of the USSR hindered their sea
trade throughout the year. The sea they had remained froze almost throughout
half of the year. They had an eye on the hot waters here in the south, so a
futuristic attack on Pakistan was also expected by the intruders. The coastal
province of Baluchistan might have been the next if they had succeeded in
Afghanistan. That played an important role in winning Pakistan’s support for
the Afghan freedom fighters.

Participation of PAF
The armed forces of Pakistan also indulged in the situation directly to a
small extent mainly to the end of war. After further weakening the situation of
Soviet troops in Afghanistan, the armed forces put fuel to fire to expedite the
fall of soviets. Pakistan’s F-16 encountered the MiG-23 of the USSR in air
superiority.

Risk of Soviet Expansion

As in the time of cold war, there was a risk that the soviets could most
likely extend their territory in south Asia. The cold war was a game of
monopoly and regional superiority, so the soviets were also expected to
expand in the region. Just when they started from Afghanistan, this fear was
felt by the Pakistani establishment as well. So they decided to go into war with
the Soviets.

History’s largest secret war?

As described by Maj. Aziz, an ex-ISI official: “Pakistan fought the largest
secret war in the history of mankind.” There was a huge intelligence tussle
between the soviets’ KGB and the ISI. The secret intelligence agents of the MI
and the ISI extracted several confidential information and gave them to
Mujahideen. This further added insult to injury and the soviets couldn’t make
through Afghanistan.
 SSG vs SPETSNAZ
The Special forces of Pakistan, the SSG (Special Services Group)
went in direct combat with the Spetsnaz of the USSR. As the Spetsnaz were
highly skilled war veterans and that they could easily be overwhelming
for an enemy that is ten times stronger.
So, to counter the soviet’s special services group, the SSG commandos
were brought into attack by the Pakistani side.

KGB VS ISI
The KGB of the USSR had to face the most brutal secret war with the
ISI that had great bonds with several commanders of mujahideen. The ISI
had used the monopoly in the region to its benefit. Also, they informed
the mujahideen leaders about the activities and future plans of the soviet
troops. This is the role of ISI about which Maj. AZIZ, an ex-ISI official has
said: “Pakistan has fought the largest intelligence war in the history”.

ONE unit ONE instructor

It is said that Pak army’s instructors went to Afghanistan to train the
mujahideen militants to combat with the soviet troops. So, there was at
least one instructor for the mujahideen units. In this way, Pakistan
supported and trained the Mujahideen for war against the soviets.

Accelerate the Soviet Disintegration

Provided this, the support of Pakistan to the mujahideen and
resisting forces not only prolonged the war in Afghanistan for the huge
economic and man force loss for the soviets but also speeded up the
destruction of soviets into several pieces. This is a significant cause that
fueled the flames of the uprisings in the central Asia and thus paved the
way to the creation of several states in the region that were a by-product
of soviet union’s collapse.
 Prolonging the war to the Soviets’ loss
As the war became tougher and harder due to several factors for the
soviets to fight due to hard terrain, the war became a source of downfall
of soviets’ international prestige and to maintain that, they kept fighting
the war no matter how adverse effects it had on the economy. This led to
the continual loss of soviets’ for a ten year long period.

Pakistani Soldiers as Mujahideen

Gen. Zia, the then ruler of Pakistan infused a spirit of national
obligation and religious duty among the masses in Pakistan to support their
afghan brothers. Also did he send troops of Pakistan army to be in the guise
of mujahideen and fight for the Afghan land. The well-trained armed men of
Pak Army reached Afghanistan for this cause.

Role of Pakistan armed forces

The troops of Pak army entered Afghanistan. The senior officials of Pak
army trained the recruits from all over the world in the Mujahideen. They
were jeweled with the modern ways of strategically encountering the
enemies. This aided the freedom fighter a lot to defeat the intruders.

CONCLUSION
So, the mentioned above arguments vividly present the idea that
Pakistan had paramount influence in shaping the war for soviets in
Afghanistan. The way Pakistani intelligence agencies and the law
enforcement organizations provided all kinds of support to the resistance
groups in Afghanistan, they are considered key contenders in the collapse
and utter disintegration of the soviets. The military support, intelligence
providing, training, war tactics, aerial support and other aids that Pakistan
offered to Afghan mujahideen led to the utter collapse of Soviets in the land.
This well identifies the lion share of Pakistan in shaping the Soviet Afghan
war’s outcome.
 REFERENCES
https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/pakistans-role-in-the-afghanistan-
wars-outcome/

https://www.quora.com/What-was-the-role-of-Pakistan-in-Soviet-Afghan-
war

https://www.quora.com/What-was-Pakistans-role-in-destroying-the-Soviet-
Union

https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Pakistan-get-involved-in-the-Afghan-
Soviet-War-of-1979-Did-Pakistan-have-an-option-of-not-getting-involved

BOOK: “FROM INDUS TO OXUS” by Syed Zaid Zaman Hamid