Pakistan drifting away from Iran

Iran has been making significant diplomatic and military overtures towards Pakistan since 2021. Tehran has been sincere and persistent towards the resolution of major issues with its eastern neighbour ranging from issues of cross-border terrorism to improvement in economic and military relations, the Pak Military Monitor reported.

As Shia Iran is mending its ties with the Sunni world with the help of China, Pakistan, a key player in the game, is drifting away from its western neighbour, which it continues to blame for cross border terrorism and smuggling, according to the Pak Military Monitor. Iran has been making significant diplomatic and military overtures towards Pakistan since 2021. Tehran has been sincere and persistent towards the resolution of major issues with its eastern neighbour ranging from issues of cross-border terrorism to improvement in economic and military relations, the Pak Military Monitor reported.

But with Pakistan drowning in its own misery created by the failure of the hybrid regime, and the resultant political and economic chaos, Islamabad's efforts to bolster its relationship with Tehran have failed. In bilateral relations, while Iran has always shown a more mature approach from when Pakistan was created, Pakistan's policy has always been that of an unreliable neighbour. Pakistan continues to blame Iran for cross-border terrorism and smuggling while Iran has suffered more due to cross-border attacks, attacks on Shias in Pakistan and illegal human trafficking networks operating in Pakistan, the Pak Military Monitor reported.

The Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project illustrates the meltdown in the bilateral relationship. The gas pipeline project, conceived in 2008, was formally signed by the Presidents of both countries in 2009. The Iranian NIOC and the Pakistan ISGS were the nominated entities to execute the project and accordingly signed the Gas Purchase and Sales Agreement (GSPA). While Iran was required to construct a pipeline from Assaluyeh to its border with Pakistan, covering a distance of nearly 1200 km, Pakistan was required to construct within its territory, the section of the pipeline from Makran coast to Nawabshah, a stretch of a mere 750 km. Until 2012, Pakistan had not even acquired the land for the project.

Tired of Pakistan's double dealings, Iran's National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) issued a "Seller Termination Notice" and "Material Breach Notice" to Pakistan in 2019. On Pakistan's continuous pleas, Iran again relented and agreed to amendments in GSPA while withdrawing its Material Breach notice. The new agreement by both sides was signed on September 5, 2019, with a clause extending the limitation period for claims to 5 years. With the extended period nearing March 2024, there has been no attempt by Pakistan to implementation of the project. On the other hand, it appears keen to project Iran as the culprit while it is busy attempting to engage with French legal counsels to fight a legal battle. Iran, on its part, has already completed 900 km of the pipeline portion and invested approximately USD 2 billion in the project, the Pak Military Monitor reported.

On Iran's insistence, Pakistan conveniently blamed the US for sanctions on Iran, resulting in banks refusing to fund the project. In December 2012, Iran again approached Pakistan and offered financial assistance for the project under a G2G cooperation format. However, Pakistan's double-faced approach resulted in the failure of the cooperation. Pakistan blamed Iran for the failure terming it a "unilateral withdrawal" from the agreement.

Pakistan leaders including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto have been engaging with Iranian leaders, but the efforts are more towards circumventing the issue and expressing helplessness rather than addressing it. In such a scenario, Iran has no other option other than to enforce legal penalties on Pakistan, the Pak Military Monitor reported. Likewise, Pakistan's Intransigence on the High Seas has irked Iran to no end.

In recent years, Pakistan Naval ships and maritime vessels have been displaying aggressive behaviour especially while dealing with Iranian fishing boats. In a recent case, one Iranian fishing boat was forcefully stopped by Pakistan's PMSS Hingol in the Gulf of Oman under the pretext of inspection. The Iranian vessel was boarded by the armed personnel of PMSS Hingol.

The Pakistan Navy personnel harassed and intimidated the fishermen subjecting them to inhuman treatment. The mobile phones and food of the fishermen were confiscated while the Captain of the Iranian fishing vessel was physically assaulted by the Pakistan Navy personnel, the Pak Military Monitor reported. The fishing vessel was also deliberately damaged by the Pakistan Navy. Iran took serious umbrage to the incident and Pakistan Naval Attache to Iran, Captain Rashid Khurram, was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Office.

Such errant behaviour on the part of Pakistan has caused a slow but inevitable drift with Iran. (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)