Attack on Iran will spell disaster: Pakistan
A day after a veiled threat from US President Barack Obama to Iran over its nuclear programme, Pakistan warned that aggression against the Islamic Republic would have ‘disastrous consequences’ for the whole region.
President Obama assured the powerful pro-Israel lobby in the United States on Sunday that Washington would use force against Iran, if necessary to stop the country from acquiring nuclear bomb.
Speaking to journalists at Multan airport on Monday, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said that Pakistan would not support any military intervention in the region. “This region cannot afford further aggressions,” she added.
Khar also brushed aside US pressure for scrapping the proposed gas pipeline with Iran and said that Islamabad would go ahead with the project.
Last week, US Secretary of State Hillary issued a tough warning to Pakistan saying that the project could invoke US sanctions.
“The proposed Pakistan-Iran pipeline, if built, could raise serious concerns under the Iran Sanctions Act. We have made that absolutely clear. We have raised this issue with the government of Pakistan,” she told a Congressional hearing.
However, her Pakistani counterpart rejected the US opposition saying that the project offered a quick solution to Pakistan’s deepening energy crisis. However, she added that Islamabad would also pursue the Turkmenistan-Pakistan-Afghanistan-India (TAPI) pipeline after the Iran project.
Speaking about relations with India, Khar said that Pakistan was committed to resolving all outstanding issues with its eastern neighbour. “No issue has been put on the backburner,” she said referring to the decades-old dispute over the Himalayan region of Kashmir.
Asked about the recent visit of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Khar dubbed it an extraordinary trip which, according to her, removed many misunderstandings between the two neighbours. “We’ve assured him (Karzai) that Pakistan will help the Afghan government in reaching out to Taliban insurgents for peace talks,” she added.
She also rejected the allegations of Western countries that Pakistan was somehow responsible for instability in Afghanistan. “They (Nato forces) must realise that we cannot afford to destabilise our own country,” she said implying that peace in Pakistan was directly linked with the Afghan stability. “It’s not in Pakistan’s interest to create problems for the foreign forces fighting terrorism in Afghanistan,” she added.
Asked about the unplugging of the Nato supply route, the foreign minister said that Parliament would make the final decision in this regard. “Our foreign policy is not made by an individual – Parliament will approve new terms of engagement with the United States,” she added.
Khar reiterated that Pakistan attached great importance to its relations with the United States – the sole superpower of the world. “However, we cannot barter away our sovereignty in return for good relations with the US,” she added.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 6th, 2012.
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@ Tony C. Ok, no problem.
@Mitra: Dear Mitra, It would seem that we are talking at cross purposes. I fully agreed with what you wrote.
@Tony C. Pakistan has been "screwed by the West for at least 300 years.." ? What history book did you get that from, or perhaps its just something you are smoking ? Anyway, I don't necessarily consider the Moguls to be a logical lead-up to the creation of Pakistan. In fact, most of the Mogul lineage remained in India following Partition. Finally, it would appear that Pakistan cannot or should not even trust its own leadership, let alone the West and outsiders.
@Mitra: It would seem that somebody in Pakistan is learning. After being screwed by the West for at least 300 years, a few of them, and I say a few, this minority is starting to realized that they are expendable. If any Pakistani thinks they can trust the Western U.S./Israel/Western combo they deserve everything that happens to them.
If an attack on Iran does happen and is successful in knocking out its nuclear ambitions and capability, is it likely that Pakistan will be the next country to be targeted by Israel, the US or through a proxy such as India ? If yes, then Pakistan may feel it has no choice but to actively and militarily side with Iran now.
@Shyam:
discussion for the sake of discussion, you missed my point apparently but i take it as you didnt.
@Harry Stone: Dear Harry, What was America's purpose in attacking Korea, Vietnam, several South American and African countries, Serbia, Iraq, Afghanistan Libya, supplying Syrian rebels with weaponry, threatening Iran after actively destabilizing it for forty years or so, mostly under instructions from Israel, and now trying to de-stabilize Pakistan via Baluchistan. Oh, and I almost forgot. The U.S. has carpet bombed and killed many millions of people whilst wantonly attacking those countries. I full agree with you Harry. What was the purpose of all this destruction ? We have to try and use logic I know, but I think that the U.S. / Israel combo have lost control and any semblance of civilization and ethics has gone out of the window. Therefore, my logic tells me that anything goes. They have degenerated into a couple of rogue states, and I feel the world is in for a rough time. Another major point to keep under consideration is that terrorism is endemic within the U.S. intelligence networks such as the C.I.A., and America has fully supported terrorism overseas. Just a few of the American supported terror networks overseas have been I.R.A., Iran Contras, Sandanistas, MEK, Jundalah, Al Queda, Taliban, Haqqini, I.D.F., Mossad and of course its very own C.I.A. On top of this there are many private mercenary, terror organizations such as Blackwater, which is huge. Blackwater became so bad they had to change their name, but they are still around and funded by America. This is an incomplete list, but it gives some indication of the problems being created by America in the area of terror.
Pakistan has taken the correct stand on Iran since US all military ventures in this part of the world so far had always resulted in disasters of the worst kind. No third world country including Iran possessing nuclear arsenal can ever dare to use weopon of mass destruction against any other and face dire consequencies of getting wiped out of world map, fully knowing the vast potential of its adversaries. Any attack on Iran could also result initially in Middle East war and subsequently into World War if China decides to jump in the fray.
"Attack on Iran will spell disaster: Pakistan" Sooooooo! Iran is literally begging for it.
@Zakir Mukeem
"for muslim countries like pakistan and iran, honour, respect and the right to manufacture any weapon system that the rest of the world carries "
But Iran is saying that it doesn't want nuclear weapons. It only wants nuclear power for generating electricity. So as per you, Iran is lying. Hence do you mean to say that lying is honorable??? or is this an example of Taqiyya??
Disaste for Pakistan and Iran?
Chances are extremely high now that Iran will be attacked. It can happen any day or rather any night now. I am not sure if Pakistan holds many cards except issuing statements like this. US or Israel won't require any support from Pakistan. However, if Pakistan on her own supports Iran actively, Baluchistan card will be played openly. Don't forget Saudi role in the entire game. Saudis will back the invasion. Let us keep our fingers crossed now.
@Cautious: Not agreed with you buddy. Since inception, we are dependant on other powers n people that the core sign of our instability & backwardness.We multiplied our problems ourselves, I do not blame any super power or any country.
Being a self sufficient is not easy as one thinks so, but we keep on striving for the best and strong belief on Allah (SWT) that is key to success.
Attacking Iran, will not only be harming the Iran.Rather will disturb the surrounding countries. And ultimately regional powers like Russia and China will be compelled to join the conflict.This War will be shaped into a global unrest.Close call for the countries nearer to Iran ;particularly Russia and China must try to avoid attacking Iran by US and Israil.
@Cautious: Not agreed with you buddy. Since inception, we are dependant on other powers n people that the core sign of our instability & backwardness.We multiplied our problems ourselves, I do not blame any super power or any country.
Being a self sufficient is not easy as one thinks so, but we keep on striving for our best and strong belief (yaqeen) on Allah (SWT) that is key to success.
Who is the real threat??? IRAN or USA??
@Arijit Sharma: Nadir Shah of Iran?
Pakistan is bless by ALLAH and if people believe in ALLAH then we have to fear just from ALLAH, this so called jewish USA cannot harm Pakistan.
If people of Pakistan stand for their right, and hold on to Islam, they will succeed in all ground. I can bet on it...
Look away, this ones for the mullahs vote.
@Alami Musafir:
Why would any nation want to attack PAK? For what purpose? The only purpose I could think of would be to stop the export of terrorism. PAK will implode on its own........from its internal fault lines.
@Jehanzeb Akhtar: You are 100% correct. Unfortunately, the country is being run by feudals like Khar who could care less about people living in poverty. When she talks about honor, it is feudal honor. Iran has never jumped in to fight battles for Pakistan and will never do so. And yet, Pakistan idiotically sticks its neck out for Iran. Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to have a puny and deteriorating economy - and there is nothing honorable about that. We need to dump these feudals.
OHH!!!! Hina Rabbani Kharrr your words doesnt carry weightagee...
u govenrmen have no courage to stop even droneess!!!1..
Congratulations, Ms Khar for speaking out and issuing the necessary warning to all parties. A natural and born leader of the Islamic world, Pakistan could be expected to do no less.
A very wise move by Pakistani foreign office to voice its interests well before time for any war planner to weigh the stakes and make an informed decision.
@Cautious:
for muslim countries like pakistan and iran, honour, respect and the right to manufacture any weapon system that the rest of the world carries and preaches against, is of paramount importence, in order to persue these set goals of achieving independence in self defence daily life comodities like food etc doesnt matter much my naive friend.
@Cautious: Iran has only been "chanting." Its spy agency did not overthrow any US government, or even try to. The US toppled Dr. Mosaddegh in 1953 and installed its stooge, the Shah.
Who was that invader guy from Iran who pillaged India's wealth ?
If only your words had half the weight you think they do.
One after another the dominoes are falling, and what a coincidence that they are all Muslim dominoes. Such an elegant strategy, of first installing puppet leaders who do your bidding at the expense of their own people...and when their usefulness is over, you can use their oppression as an excuse to destroy them. And their deliberately dumbed down populations never smell a rat.
An attack on Iran is simply a prelude to an attack on Pakistan, we will then be surrounded by fire, to our north is occupied Afghanistan, to our west would be defeated Iran, in the south would be the Western armada and as far as the east is concerned...
From the eternal sea it rises, creating armies on either shore, turning man against his brother...until man exists no more.
But all isn't lost. Keep blocking fuel transit to Afghanistan...without fuel neither their jet fighters, nor their helicopters, nor their tanks and armour can work. It would be like Gulliiver being tied down by the Lillipudians.
And meditate on when do we ourselves recognise the threat to our existence and when and how to act in self-preservation.
Iran has been chanting "death to America" since the late 70's - after 911 America no longer ignores that type of rhetoric. Once America determines your an ally of Iran you will be suddenly discover what life is like as an isolated country - maybe good for your ego for a short time but then you discover that things like jobs, food, heat, and the ability to travel outside of Pakistan suddenly become things that you took for granted. It's decision time --- the balls in your court.
are we persuing the old legacy of Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and turkey as the regional power link for power, trade and socio-economic matters??