EDITORIAL: Given the fact that historically Pak-Iran relationship has been largely friction-free, the security of their 959km border therefore never received the scrutiny it should have. There are a few check-posts at commonly used border crossings, but not much on ground to check illegal border-crossings.
Not only does Iranian fuel keep coming through this border, the elements and groups who want to play havoc with socio-sectarian and political peace and harmony in adjoining Balochistan also find no problem in walking through the Pakistan-Iran border. So is the case of smuggling of narcotics and humans for their onward journey to green pastures of Europe. It is also important to note that the first corona-afflicted person arrived here through this border.
But it’s not that the two governments are unconcerned about this massive abuse of border security; they do know all of it and therefore their officials meet occasionally to talk about it and make a few declarations to strengthen the border security. One such declaration was made in Islamabad on Monday after the visiting Iranian interior minister Ahmad Vahidi had called on Prime Minister Imran Khan, met the army chief Gen Bajwa and held a meeting with his local counterpart Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.
Vahidi’s visit followed the unannounced trip of ISI Chief Lt-Gen Nadeem Anjum that took place a couple of days after the terrorist attacks in Kech, Naushki and Panjgur in Balochistan in the recent past. Although Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for these murderous attacks the informed sources believe that the entire adventure was planned by India with a view to subverting the prime minister’s China visit.
Will the recent incident be taken by the concerned authorities in Iran as in the past? Probably not: while the prime minister called for “joint cooperation to address security issues” Gen Bajwa was more assertive. He did call the Pak-Iran border as border of peace and friendship, but qualified his statement by highlighting the “need to put in collective efforts to deny any space or liberty of action to be exploited by miscreants along the Pak-Iran border”.
All that has been done in the past to secure border, which is undeniably infested with criminal gangs, militants and drug traffickers, proved to be short of desired determination and follow-up action. Of course a part of the common border is fenced, all exit-entry points are under watch and efforts are being made to convert the border towns into border markets. But that will take time.
The most urgent need is to secure the border against illegal trespassing. And that being an inescapable joint move the two sides have agreed that a joint working group would be formed to enhance bilateral relations. Also, markets would be set up on both sides of the border and there will be more border terminals. Both sides also discussed ways and means to prevent illegal human immigration and drug trafficking, exchange of prisoners and facilities for ‘Zaireen’.
Let that be as discussed, but what warrants instant attention and action is a kind of politico-military understanding between the two governments that they deny space to the growing menace of terrorism.
Given the evolving catastrophic times in neighbouring Afghanistan, the incidence of terrorism, both engendered by acute religiosity and political dreams, is in the making. Therefore, it would be in national interest of both Iran and Pakistan to go for pragmatic cooperation to stiffly secure their common border, discourage sectarianism and intensify regional connectivity.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022