US Congress members condemn Pak PM Imran Khan's Moscow visit on day Russia invaded Ukraine

Chairperson of US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Robert Menendez, was joined by six or Congressmen in condemning Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's ill-timed visit to Moscow. Local media conveyed that y expressed ir disappointment over Pakistan's anuncements of bilateral agreements with Russia amid invasion of Ukraine.

In a letter sent out to Pakistan Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan on March 16, members of Congress expressed dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Imran Khan's anuncement of bilateral trade agreements with Russia amidst Russia Ukraine war. In letter, Congress members also expressed ir disappointment with Pakistan's abstention in a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution condemning Russian invasion.

"We are disappointed with your government's decision to abstain from UN General Assembly's March 2 vote," a statement from letter.

193-member United Nations General Assembly voted on March 2 to reiterate its support to Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity within internationally recognised boundaries, and to "strongly condemn" Russia's aggression against Ukraine. With 141 votes in favour, five-member states voting against, and 35 abstentions, resolution was passed.

letter went on to criticize Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's ill-timed visit to Moscow, asserting that it went against international community's efforts to defend Ukraine's territorial integrity and identify Russia as aggressor. In letter, Congress members blamed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for spoiling  international community's efforts to reaffirm Ukraine's territorial integrity. 

signatories of letter were Congress members Ted W. Lieu, Tom Maliwski, Juan Vargas, Brian Fitzpatrick, Kathy Manning and David N Cicilline.

Imran Khan's ill-timed visit to Russia

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Russia on February 23 for a two-day visit, first by a Pakistani Prime Minister in almost two decades, hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a special military action against Ukraine, despite last-minute requests and warnings from West.

Khan's travel to Moscow on eve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been heavily panned both internationally and domestically, with some pundits even going so far as to term visit "ill-timed" and "foolhardy." According to a media source, Pakistani security specialists suspects Khan went to Moscow without any plan in mind, frozen out as he was diplomatically by major countries. He was first head of state of any country to attend a photoshoot with Russian President after war began.