LA HORE: By defeating `the forces of evil` seventy years ago, the Russian forces not only saved themselves but also humanity, said Ambassador of the Russian Federation of Pal
Speaking at the symposium to celebrate 70th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War against Fascism 1941-45 here on Tuesday, he said the evil forces had set up labour and slavery camps. The Russians fought and won the historic war seven decades ago and saved humans from extermination camps, he said.

Habib Ahmed, honorary consul of the Russian Federation and host of the symposium, said the Russian victory was the victory for humanity. It actually saved the humanity because had the fascism won the war, the globe would have become a different place. The Russians suffered over 7.4 million deaths during that war but still held on because of their huge courage and will to fight, he added.

Former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri said it was an existential threat posed by six times bigger enemy that had pushed Pakistan into pro-west alliances. The Russians had played a very important role in the Tashkent Declaration, he said, adding Pakistan`s ties with Russia had started improving ever since Musharraf took over and he became foreign minister.

`Pakistan stood by the Russians when the West put pressure on Iran and wanted to attack it. Its views were also supportive of Russia during the Iraq crisis.

These were signs of thaw and it had continued ever since,` he said and added: `The ties had ups and downs but now they are much stable.