There is still light at the end of the tunnel if Pakistan makes a preemptive move now
TORONTO: Cautious optimism can be expressed and expected after the successful conclusion of the nuclear deal between Iran and the six world powers. However, we can still expect some slips between the cup and the lip mainly because of the Iran-centric hostility establishment that has been created on the back of Iran-West bickering spanning over three decades. When animosity extends this long, it seeps into human behaviour. Notwithstanding this hostility, the deal is a welcome development. With this deal, Iran will eventually step out of international isolation and a country that was once a pariah in the world community will progress towards integration and rehabilitation. This process should be fast for Iran because it is one of the leading energy-producing countries.
To analyse the Pakistani angle over this development, we need to study the history of Pakistan-China relations. Today, we boast of a ‘higher-than-Himalayas’ friendship with China but its genesis is worth exploring. Nations, like individuals, value the help of others when they are buried in troubles. China was once out of favour with the world powers to an extent that it didn’t even have UN membership because of the consistent use of the veto power by the US. Instead, tiny Taiwan enjoyed veto-wielding status in the Security Council. In those turbulent days, Pakistan stood firmly with mainland China and practically served as the diplomatic face of that country for many years. The Chinese would call Pakistan its window through which it could see the world. After Richard Nixon’s visit in the early 1970s, China became visible to the world as a ‘legitimate’ entity. So, the Chinese decided to never forget their friend in need, Pakistan. Unfortunately enough, Pakistan cannot claim the same in the case of Iran. We chose to join the Saudi and US camp, which wasn’t necessarily the wrong choice given our chronically meagre and vulnerable economy. It is also worth noting that Pakistan had never directly confronted Iran, but the bilateral relationship remained lukewarm at best. Special mention must be made of the bizarre handling of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline agreement. It was unwise on Pakistan’s part to be unable to keep its eyes on regional political developments.
If our diplomats think that they will now enjoy the same hospitality by the Iranians and the latter will rush to complete stalled projects, it would be naive. After Iran comes out of sanctions, there will be a sort of ‘gold rush’ in Tehran and every country will compete to get a piece of the pie from the frozen but potentially thriving business hub of the future. India seems to be a big beneficiary as it has maintained a well-balanced relationship with Iran all along. The term ‘time-tested relationships’ has some prerequisites, for which Pakistan does not qualify in this case. Iran is already a key player in the region despite all the sanctions and now its stature will be further enhanced. It will still face resistance from certain sections of the world due its despotic governance process, but then, the same is the case with the rest of its neighbours. There is still light at the end of the tunnel if Pakistan makes a preemptive move now without waiting for the formal lifting of sanctions against Iran. It is in our national interest to freshen up our bond with Iran as the balance of power in the Middle East is going to take a sharp tilt in Iran’s favour, while Saudi Arabia will lose the prominence it has enjoyed in recent decades.
Bahadar Ali Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2015.
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