Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s visit to Tehran is a positive development. Not only is Iran Pakistan’s next door neighbour, it is also a major player on the world stage — despite repeated attempts by Washington to make it a pariah. Both Pakistan and Iran are also affected by many of the same issues, most notably terrorism and militant separatism, especially on the border shared between the two countries. Furthermore, as a staunch ally of Saudi Arabia — Tehran’s arch-nemesis — it is important that Islamabad maintain and strengthen ties with Iran for the sake of neutrality. Pakistan has a significant Shia minority population, which could become alienated if Pakistan swings too sharply towards Saudi Arabia.
One positive development that emerged in yesterday’s talks between PM Khan and his counterpart was the agreement to set up a Joint Rapid Reaction Task Force to monitor the countries common borders. Such a task force could go a long way in terms of preventing attacks on either side of the border. Not only will this make civilians and security personnel on either side of the border safer, it will also prevent diplomatic misunderstandings that can lead to souring of bilateral relations. The Pakistan-Iran border is also a major transit route for narcotics. Tonnes of heroin have been smuggled across the border for decades, fuelling addiction and crime, as well as funding terror outfits on both sides. In recent years, these borderlands have also been used to smuggle methamphetamine, which has emerged as a scourge for both Pakistani and Iranian society.
In the short-term, both Tehran and Islamabad must solidify progress made during PM Khan’s visit by acting against militant groups that have conducted attacks in either country recently. Pakistan must act against Jaish al-Adl, a group that attacked Iranian security personnel in February and killed 27. Meanwhile, Tehran must take action against Baloch militant groups which continue to attack Pakistani personnel in Balochistan and continue to hinder progress in the province. *