Dealing with the neighbours

Pakistan seems to be surrounded by hostility. Other than the ever-present problems with India, in recent weeks there has been a heightening of tensions with both Afghanistan and Iran.  In the case of Afghanistan, the troubles were sparked when Afghan border forces went after a census team in Chaman that they claimed ventured across the border. There was a further incident on Friday  when two FC soldiers working on a border fence in Kurram Agency were injured in shelling by Afghan forces.     The dispute is a long-running one that has no easy solution so long as Afghanistan refuses to accept the international border but Pakistan is taking both defensive measures to protect the border and constructive ones to try and solve the problem. Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz addressed a press conference   on Wednesday  where he said that the government is tightening up border management to prevent the movement of terrorists but also that the two sides are working together on a joint geological survey of border villages to prevent any future incidents. Aziz expressed the hope that the Chaman border could be reopened in a week. Steps to ensure that were taken when the operations chiefs of both countries met at the GHQ in Rawalpindi and promised to make further efforts to build better ties. This followed a meeting between the two countries and Nato’s Resolute Support Mission. The hope now is that such talks will lead to diplomatic breakthroughs.  Afghanistan, in particular, has been reluctant to talk to Pakistan, with President Ashraf Ghani even saying that he would not visit Pakistan until members of the Afghan Taliban are extradited.

The dispute with Iran was also sparked by a recent incident but it too has its roots in a problem that has been lingering for years, if not decades. The attack on Iranian border guards by Jaish-e-Adl militants who allegedly retreated into Pakistani territory, followed by Iran’s threat to go after militants on Pakistani soil, has led to the immediate crisis. But steps have been taken to deflate tensions, with the Iranian ambassador saying the quote of the country’s army chief threatening to launch operations within Pakistan was taken out of context. The two countries have now also set up a joint commission to discuss ways of beefing up border security. There was also a meeting  on Friday  between officials of the two countries at the border town of Taftan where they agreed to work together to counter terrorism without affecting the free movement of people. But the larger problem still remains. Iran is suspicious of Pakistan’s ties with Saudi Arabia and that hasn’t been helped by former army chief Raheel Sharif joining the Saudi-led military coalition against terrorism. Just a few days ago, Iran’s defence minister threatened Saudi Arabia as well. Pakistan’s task – and it is a difficult one – is to convince Iran that it can maintain good ties with both countries without antagonising either. That, broadly speaking, needs to be our strategy for dealing with all our neighbours with whom we have differences.