Pakistan’s treacherous borders on the western side have always been a source of anxiety for our security forces. Iran would occasionally complain to Pakistan about the exploitation of our soil against them, and in this regard, the former prime minister, Imran Khan, admitted the fact.
Four Pakistani border troopers were martyred in a Wednesday attack from Iranian territory, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations, and four security personnel were slain during “terrorist action” from across the Pakistan-Iran border in Balochistan’s Panjgur region. The danger of terrorism is a common problem for both Pakistan and Iran, and in this regard, the Foreign Office spokesperson also “strongly condemns the terrorist strike from across the Iran borde “, adding that “terrorists used the territory of Iran [to perform the attack]. We expect that Iran would take measures against those guilty.”
The attack must provide soul-searching to both Iran and Pakistan; this point is satisfying because both Pakistan and Iran have already stated that their land will not be used for cross-border assaults. Terrorism, or violence, is re-emerging along Afghanistan’s and Iran’s borders. The incident comes on the heels of the loss of soldiers a few weeks ago when Afghan personnel opened fire at the Chaman border.
The attacks, however infrequent, highlight a sobering fact: there is more work to be done to combat extremism in Pakistan, and militancy in the region, and it might take years to do so. Terrorism is a global problem, not only a Pakistan’s concern. Attacks on Pakistan from Afghanistan and Iran have some Indian connections too.
So, until there is lawlessness in Afghanistan, unless there are no confidence-building measures with India, and unless there is a trust gap between Iran and Pakistan, battling militancy alone in Pakistan would not stop the attacks. Conflicts must be managed and resolved very quickly; if they are left unresolved, more parties may become involved, further complicating the problem.
Violence has reached an end. The struggle should reach a decisive phase that puts an end to militants and militancy. It can be done by cooperating with Iran and Afghanistan. India may not be a partner for the time being, but the establishments on both sides must lessen their antipathy toward one another. The battle against militancy will be won as soon as Pakistan, India, China, and Iran unite as a single force. *