On the one hand, the situation in Pakistan is that the economy has reached the brink of collapse, the internal situation is so bleak that it can start a fire from any side at any time, and the border situation is that the relations with India and Afghanistan  are tense.

It has also happened with Iran in recent months but thank tension with Iran eased after conciliatory efforts by China and Turkey. However, India is taking advantage of  the tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan over the Taliban issue and are making moves to create security situation in Pakistan. On the one hand, the Indian RAW is busy in sabotage and terrorist acitivities in Balochistan and other parts of our country while on the other, the Afghan Taliban are carrying terrorists acts in Pakistan from the Afghan soil.  The situation in Balochistan has deteriorated a lot. Without controlling terrorism, the country cannot be taken towards real stability.  If internal stability cannot be ensured in Pakistan, the country will remain weak in the field of foreign affairs as well.  Rapid changes are taking place in the global and regional situation and Pakistan is under the impact of these changes.  Political instability and poor economy at the national level have increased the difficulties for Pakistan. Among the situations that have an immediate effect on Pakistan, the growing antagonism between China and the US, the law and order situation in Afghanistan, the ongoing tension with India, and the political instability and economic situation in Pakistan are very important. There are many hideouts of terrorist groups like BLA and BLF in  the border areas which cross the border every day and target the security forces of Pakistan and civilians.  Many important leaders of these terrorist organizations are living a luxurious and comfortable life there with their families in Afghanistan.  Pakistan and Iran have had a deep friendship for 74 years. The formal agreement of this friendship was signed in 1950, after which these two Islamic countries have been maintaining their friendship on several occasions.  There is no border dispute between Pakistan and Iran despite having a 950 km long border, but the activities of separatist terrorist organizations on both sides of the same border strip are causing pain for both countries.  The areas on both sides of the Pak-Iran border are "safe havens" for terrorists. By carrying out acts of terrorism in Balochistan, terrorists hide in the border area.  In Pakistan, their relatives declare them missing and create problems for the government.

The hideouts of terrorists in uninhabited areas along the border of Pakistan and Iran pose a threat to the security of both countries.  These armed groups have not been allowing peace and order to be established in Pakistan and Iran for several decades, due to which problems have arisen for both countries at the global level, while the border areas are suffering from constant ignorance and permanent unemployment. It is a happy future situation that despite the tension, the two countries are still maintaining trade relations with  each others. Actually,both the countries are friendly countries and have also  the ability to tackle the tension and restore one another confidence. China and Turkey have offered to mediate between Pakistan and Iran to end tensions. Britain has asked both countries to show restraint.  According to the statement issued by the American spokesperson, the United States has warned Iran that such provocations on its part are unacceptable.  Russia has also urged Pakistan and Iran to act with restraint and said that further tension in the situation would be like playing a toy in the hands of those who are not interested in the peace, stability and security of the region. Iran is our freidnly country and tension with Iran should be handled immediately as it is not good for regional peace and security. Therefore, it is necessary to control the causes of this tension with understanding and insight.

While tensions have also eased and Pak-Iran international flights have resumed on their routes which is a welcome step and shows the political and diplomatic maturity of the heads of state of both the countries.  On this occasion, one also appreciates the conciliatory role of China and Turkey. Iran is our neighboring country and there is a 900 km long border between Iran and Pakistan on both sides of which Baloch tribes are living.  Panjgur district of Balochistan, bordering Iran, is located only 520 km away from the provincial capital Quetta, with a total population of 500,000 people.  The main livelihood of 90 percent of the people of Panjgur is informal trade between Pakistan and Iran . People here bring Iranian petrol and diesel to Balochistan through secret routes from where it is supplied throughout the country.

Formal trade between Pakistan and Iran takes place through the land routes of Panjgur, Mand, Washik and Gwadar.  The mutual trade between Pakistan and Iran is about one billion dollars, in which Pakistan's export to Iran is 22 million dollars and Iran's export to Pakistan is 837 million dollars.  In August last year in Islamabad, the then PDM government prepared a 5-year 2023-28 trade cooperation plan with his Iranian counterpart Hussain Amir to finalize the Free Trade Agreement (FTA).  The trade target has been set at 5 billion dollars. On this occasion, the Iranian Foreign Minister emphasized on the completion of Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project and said that this project is in the interest of both countries.

On June 13, 2010, Pakistan signed a GSPA agreement with Iran for 25 years, under which a gas pipeline was to be laid from the Iranian border to Nawabshah by December 2014.  In 2011, Iran laid a 960 km gas pipeline for gas supply from its southern gas field, and now Pakistan has to lay only 300 km of its own pipeline, which will give Pakistan 750 million cubic feet of gas per day, but the United States and the United Nations are against Iran.  This project could not be completed due to economic restrictions. According to the agreement, in case the project is not completed, Pakistan had to pay a fine of one million dollars per day, which becomes 18 billion dollars by 2023. Iran had sent a notice to take Pakistan to the arbitration court over the delay in the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project, but in September 2019, under a revised agreement between Pakistan and the National Iranian Gas Company, the two countries agreed that by March 2024, no party will not go to the international court for penalty.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly had issued instruction to talk to the US ambassador about the revision of Pak Iran gas project to avoid fines as the deal was made before the US imposed economic sanctions on Iran.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 15 2024

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