It is heartening to note that sanity has gained ground across the border without any delay as both Iran and Pakistan have decided to de-escalate the situation in order to protect and preserve their strong bilateral relationship that had been unfortunately and unnecessarily harmed by an unwise decision of the neighboring country, inviting a response from Pakistan in less than 48 hours.
According to media reports, caretaker foreign minister Jalil Abbas Jilani has spoken to his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian by phone, expressing Pakistan’s readiness to work with Iran on all issues based on a spirit of mutual trust and cooperation.
The reports have also indicated reciprocity from the Iranian side. It is important to note that while Tehran had condemned the strikes and summoned Pakistan’s charge d’ affairs to register its protest, it had later said that it was committed to good neighbourly relations with Pakistan.
Now both the countries are required to ease each other’s concerns in an amicable manner. Both Pakistan and Iran are agreeing to work towards removing tensions is a development that must have rattled New Delhi, which was expecting escalation between the two brotherly countries in order to promote its anti-Pakistan agenda with a new vigor.
India’s right wing media, for example, were having a field day in the last couple of days, predicting the outbreak of a major war between the two Islamic countries following Iran’s missile strikes on Panjgur, Balochistan.
To India’s chagrin, however, nothing of that sort happened. India’s broadcast media led by Arnab Goswami tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to add fuel to the fire. In my view, the beginning of a rapprochement between Iran and Pakistan is an outright victory of peace. Now India has to endure humiliation heaped on humiliation.
Khadim Husain Minto (Lahore)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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