By By Tahir Hasan Khan
Ambassador of Iran in Pakistan Mashallah Shakiri has denied the movement of Taliban on Iran-Pakistan border and said that Iranian forces have made strict security measures on the border.
He said that border has been opened for trade activities, adding, his country could reduce security from the border provided Pakistan also ensures security arrangements on its side. He said that Iran has provided evidences to Pakistan about the terrorist attack in Iranian border province in which a large number of innocent people and security personnel were killed.
The Iranian Ambassador said this while addressing ‘Meet the Press’ program of Karachi Press Club on Saturday. Consul General Masood Zaman was also present on the occasion.
Mashallah Shakiri said that Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan happen to be three Islamic republic countries in the region and any dispute among them would not be in anyone’s interest. Shakiri alleged that America has allocated 400 million dollars in its budget to destabilize Iran and added that the US has been in contact with terrorists and insurgents.
The Iranian Ambassador spoke in detail about the Pak-Iran relations and said that his country was ready to provide 1100mw electricity at cheapest rate of six cent per unit and the supply could be increased up to 2000mw.
Mashallah Shakiri said that Iran was ready to supply gas to Pakistan and it has laid pipeline on its side but added that nobody knows as to why Pakistan was not taking serious steps to complete this project.
“There exists a huge potential to increase trade between Pakistan and Iran and Iran wishes to increase the trade level with Pakistan and bring it at par with that of Turkey,” he added. He said that he had proposed the Sindh government to declare Karachi and Tabrez as sister cities for increasing the trade, adding, the chief minister Sindh accepted this idea.
Shakiri said that Iranian media always portrayed good and positive image of Pakistan before Iranian people and never exploited the political turmoil in Pakistan. But unfortunately Pakistani media portrayed negative image of Iran when political turmoil occurred after the presidential election, he added.
On the occasion, the Iranian ambassador donated a television and dish antenna to Karachi Press Club for the journalists to also watch Iranian channels. Later, he inaugurated the Iranian Corner at the club library and donated Iranian literature and books.