Geo-politics of Jundullah attack

This is not the first occasion that this group has carried out terrorist attack in Iranian territory. Of course this was the deadliest one, but overall it was eighth attack allegedly made by the same terrorist group. The attack caused forty-nine deaths including twelve persons of the Revolutionary Guard. Among those killed also include the deputy commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) General Nour-Ali Shoushtari, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, and the provincial IRGC commander. Iranian leadership has blamed that the militant group is operating from the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The people and the Government of Pakistan strongly slammed the attack and shared the grief and sorrow of the Iranian people over the massive loss of innocent lives. While condemning the terrorist attack, President Asif Ali Zardari assured President Ahmadinejad that Government of Pakistan would provide all out assistance in arresting all those responsible for the attack if they are found on Pakistani soil. Iran also accused US and Britain for their alleged patronage and funding of such type terrorist attacks for creating instability within Iran. Before analysing the pros and cons of the terrorist attack by the Jundallah militant outfit, it is worth mentioning that Pakistan and Iran are bounded in a strapping relationship. A review of this strong correlation would reveal that there have been connections between ancient Persia and India; particularly the areas currently forming part of Pakistan from 3000-2000 BC mainly between Indo-Parthian kingdoms and later in 13th and 19th Centuries between two Muslim empires. Iran is the first country which accepted Pakistan after its independence in 1947 and since then both countries maintained their bilateral relationship in an atmosphere of good neighbourly and brotherhood environment. Both countries have geographical contiguity through the Balochistan province of Pakistan and Sistan-o-Balochistan of Iran. There has been excellent relationship between the two brotherly countries till Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979. Historically both countries are members of Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD), renamed as Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) after its enlargement in early 1990s by including Central Asian States and Afghanistan as new members. Iran supported Pakistan economically as well as militarily during 1965 and 1971 wars. Both countries even had a defence pact namely the Iran-Pakistan Military Cooperation Pact, aimed at supporting each other militarily in the event of Indian aggression against Pakistan and any aggression against Iran. Unfortunately the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan followed by covert US campaign and later factional fighting in that country created a divergence in the interest of these two brotherly countries too. Both perhaps wanted to secure their interests which become a reason for their being at odds in the regional politics. Indeed, Pakistan played the critical role in the defeat of former Soviet Union while being on the side of United States, whereas Iran became an opponent of US, after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Apart from cashing the bounties of the victory of Afghan war, this ideological difference surely made a dent in the relations of both countries. But in-spite of this bad patch, there has never been an occasion once these Muslim brothers have broken their diplomatic ties. At the people’s level, there have been trade and civilizational linkages between Iranian and Pakistani people of Indus Civilization. Indeed the Indus Valley civilization being oldest in India had its ties with the Proto-Elamite and Elamite Civilizations of ancient Iran. These relations are still being maintained with religious spirit. Immediately after the suicide attack, a number of Iranian leaders and high level officials pointed fingers towards Pakistan. The spiritual leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who otherwise speaks rarely, also accused Pakistan for the terrorist attack, while President Ahmedinijad was discreet in his statement about those responsible for the carnage. Mr. Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam, the Chief of the Iranian police while declaring Pakistan as the responsible for the attacks said that, “...from Pakistan and we are liaising with them to arrest the main elements”. Manouchehr Mottaki, the Iranian Foreign Minister without naming the group responsible for the attack said, “They cross into Iran illegally. They are based in Pakistan ---and the hands of those behind the crimes in southeast Iran must be cut”. There are indicators that Iranian Military commander has asked for the issuance of “necessary permissions allowing the Guards to confront terrorists on Pakistani soil”, a pattern of retaliation India tried to follow after Mumbai terror. After the initial accusations, Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Najjar, has visited Pakistan along with a list of the terrorists, whom Iran considered responsible for the terror attack including leader of the terror organization, Abdolmalek Rigi. Through a couple of meetings with the leadership, Pakistan was able to clarify its position and stance to the visiting Minister. He has been clearly told that Pakistan would never tolerate such attacks in the territorial jurisdiction of its traditional friend and that Rigi is not in Pakistan. Both countries have inked a number of agreements to strengthen the border security on both sides of the Pak-Iran border. It has been decided to enhance the number of security forces with enhanced monitoring on the border by both countries. As a nation, every Pakistani was grieved over the terrorist attack on Iranian Revolutionary Guard and others. Abdul Basit, the Foreign Office spokesman of Pakistan has said that this attack was primarily aimed at spoiling the relations between two brotherly Muslim countries of the region. He said, “There are forces which are out to spoil our relations with Iran. But our ties are strong enough to counter these machinations”. While dismissing the charges that Pakistan was being used as a springboard by Jundullah to launch attacks inside Iran, the spokesperson said; “There is no question given the excellent relations between us that Pakistani territory be allowed to be used for terrorist act against Iran--- and ---we don’t know the whereabouts of Rigi,” as he is not in Pakistan. But would these measures, pacts and mutual assurances be enough to clarify the misapprehension created between the two Islamic Republics in last few years. In the recent past Pakistan has handed over six militants of the so-called Jundullah terror outfit, which should have been sufficient evidence to Iran that Pakistan is against any such act and likes to be a sincere friend of Iran. How can Pakistan, which is already in the grip of terrorism and militancy in FATA and NWFP and sub-nationalistic movement in Balochistan support such outfits to destabilize Iran. Moreover, Pakistan never considered Iran supporting any terrorism or sub-nationalism in its country. The differences over Afghanistan have also died down after the occupation of that country by United States and NATO in 2001. Both are cooperating on the strategic and economic issues. Pakistan would never like to destabilize Iran as currently its only secure border runs with Iran. Both countries are hectically working for a gas pipeline which would run from Iran to India via Pakistan; the region of so-called Jundullah attack. Such destabilization would not let that happen. Under such a scenario, only an insane would think of supporting terrorists' attacks on Iran. Iranian leadership should have waited for the detailed investigation of the terror attack before pointing fingers on Pakistan as a state. An Indian type response really hurt the emotions of 170 million People of Pakistan who have a deep love for the people of Iran. Such type of response would further weaken the traditional bondage between the two neighbours, thus, providing opportunities to the forces considered to be the common enemies of the both for exploiting the situation in their favour. It would be in the mutual benefit of both countries, to resolve their issues at the level of leadership without allowing media to play in between. There is no dearth of acumen in the traditionally intellectual community of the two countries. Owing to the strategic significance of Balochistans (both parts), the major powers have traditionally been interested to have an ingress on it. The rise of sub-nationalism in Pakistani Balochistan and the repeated terror attacks on Iranian Balochistan might be part of the Great Game being played in the regional geopolitics. Therefore both nations must be able to assess the common threat posed by extra regional forces, which traditionally have never been friend of either.

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