NOVANEWS
By Sajjad Shaukat
Being a neighbouring and brotherly country, Pakistan always respects Iran’s sovereignty, system
of governance and its socio-political developments. But, some external elements misguide Iran
through false propaganda by manipulating various terror-incidents which take place inside Iran,
especially its province of Iranian Sistan-Baluchistan and Pakistan’s province of Balochistan.
It could be judged from the latest incident of October 25 when 14 Iranian border guards lost their
lives and six others were wounded in a shoot-out with terrorists in the border region of Saravan
in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan. In this regard, Iranian lawmakers
accused that the US and Pakistani intelligence services lead the Pakistan-based Jaish-ul-Adl
terrorist group responsible for the recent deadly attack on Iranian border guards. While raising
false allegations, Iran’s Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee member Javad
Karimi Qoddusi said, “The key point in this case is role played by US spy agency by means of
Pakistan’s Services Intelligence (ISI) in conducting such terrorist attacks…the ISI’s control over
such terrorist like Jaish-ul-Adl Group has been authenticated.”
On the other side, Islamabad denied the charges as baseless, while Pakistan Charged Affairs in
Iran, Sohail Siddiqui stated that Iranian government urged Pakistan to further investigate the
issue. Pakistan’s government assured that that the country would investigate the issue and would
fully cooperate with Iranian officials in arresting and handing the terrorists.
Earlier, an Iranian deputy foreign minister pointed out that the country was weighing plans
to dispatch a delegation to Pakistan to probe the recent terrorist attack in southeastern Iran.
But, it is regrettable that instead of grasping reality in order to remove the misunderstanding,
Iranian lawmakers, analysts and the TV channel leveled self-created allegations against Pakistan
and involvement of ISI in terrorist attack on Iranian border guards. They must better observe
prudence by knowing the real conspirators who are not only behind this terror attack, but
also other subversive events which have continuously been taking place in Pakistani side of
Balochistan, and from time to time, in Iran’s Sistan-Balochistan.
Notably, although the whole of Islamic world is target of Indo-Israeli plot, yet the same has
intensified in case of Pakistan and Iran. In this regard, US-led some western countries have also
been supporting the Indo-Israeli nexus against Islamabad and Tehran overtly or covertly.
However, we cannot blame India and Israel including US regarding the conspiracy against
Pakistan and Iran without some concrete evidence. In this context, in his interview, published
in the Indian weekly Outlook on February 18, 2008, Israel’s ambassador to India, Mark Sofer
explained regarding India’s defence arrangements with Israel by disclosing, “We do have a
defence relationship with India, which is no secret” and “with all due respect, the secret part
will remain a secret.” In reply to a question, Sofer replied, “Certain issues need to remain under
wraps for whatever reason.”
Indo-Israeli plot remained under wraps till 2003, when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
visited India to officially reveal it. In this respect, Indian ‘The Tribune’ wrote on September
10, 2003, “India and Israel took giant leaps forward in bolstering the existing strategic ties and
forging new ones” and Tel Aviv has “agreed to share its expertise with India in various fields as
anti-fidayeen operations, surveillance satellites, intelligence sharing and space exploration.” Next
day, ‘Indian Express’, disclosed, “From anti-missile systems to hi-tech radars, from sky drones
to night-vision equipment, Indo-Israeli defense cooperation has known no bounds in recent
As regards the American tactical backing to Indo-Israeli relationship, on September 5, 2003,
American Wall Street Journal pointed out, “The U.S. finally gave its approval to Israel’s delivery
of Phalcon Airborne Warning & Controlling Systems (AWACS) to India.”
Now, the matter is not confined to purchasing of military equipments only, Indo-Israeli overt
and covert links are part of a dangerous strategic game. In the aftermath of 9/11, as to how this
strategic game is being played can be judged from some developments. For example, on October
18, 2009, a deadliest suicide attack killed dozens of officers including the deputy commander
for the Revolutionary Guards, Brigadier General Nour Ali Shoushtari and the provincial
commander, Brigadier Rajab Ali Mohammadzadeh in the Sistan-Baluchistan. Jundullah (God’s
soldiers), a Sunni militant group which is pro-active against the Iranians, claimed responsibility
for the incident.
The Revolutionary Guard released a statement after the attack, revealing that there was “no
doubt that this violent and inhumane act was part of the strategy of foreigners and enemies of
the regime.” Afterwards, Iran directly accused US and Britain for their alleged patronage and
funding of such type of terrorist attacks for creating instability within Iran. Parliamentary speaker
Ali Larijani blamed the US, saying, “We consider the recent terrorist attack to be the result of the
US action. This is the sign of America’s animosity against our country.”
Tehran also lodged a strong protest with Islamabad over the failure of its law enforcement
agencies to dismantle the Jundullah network in its part of Balochistan, while remarking that plan
was prepared in Pakistan. Some reports suggest that in confusion, even some Iranian leaders
expressed apprehension on some of Pakistan’s officials in cooperation with the Jundulluh
regarding that suicide attack. This is what the US, India and Israeli wanted.
While condemning the terrorist attack, the former President Asif Ali Zardari assured the then
President Ahmadinejad that Government of Pakistan would provide all out assistance in arresting
all those responsible for the attack, if they are found on Pakistani soil. Afterwards, Islamabad
ensured a visiting Iranian delegation for an appropriate investigation in relation to the mayhem.
Nevertheless, misunderstanding against Islamabad and Tehran was eliminated.
In this context, the former Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi had stated, “It
is obvious that the same forces which are working in Pakistani Balochistan are also working in
Iranian Sistan.” While, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei had indicated, “The bloody
actions being committed in Iraq, Pakistan and Iran are aimed at creating a division between the
Shias and Sunnis…those who carry out these terrorist actions are directly or indirectly foreign
It is mentionable that on February 8, 2012, the hearing of the US Congress Committee on
Foreign Affairs, chaired by Dana Rohrabacher favoured an independent Balochistan. And
military scholar Lt. Col. Ralph Peters, while writing in the June 2006 issue of The Armed Forces
Journal of the US had suggested Washington about the creation of a “Greater Balochistan” which
would integrate the Baloch areas of Pakistan with those of Iran—and the Frontier Province
should be incorporated into Afghanistan.
Nevertheless, it would be a good sign that besides Pakistan, Iranian rulers and media must also
understand that it is a collective plot of the US, India and Israeli to sabotage Pak-Iranian ties, and
is part of their secret strategic game against the Islamic countries.
In fact, America, India and Israel have been backing the Baloch separatists of Pakistan through
their secret agencies CIA, RAW and Mossad respectively as witnessed by a perennial wave
of subversive acts such as destruction of gas pipelines, attacks on the government buildings
and murder of political leaders. They are covertly supporting the Balochistan Liberation Army
(BLA) and Baloch nationalist leaders who have been fighting for secession of the province.
As regards Jundullah, in past few years, the group has conducted multiple terrorist activities like
kidnapping and killing of a number of Iranian nationals including suicide attacks in Pakistan’s
side of Balochistan and that of the Iran. Its agents are also behind sectarian violence. On many
occasions, BLA and Jundullah claimed responsibility for terrorist acts.
According to some reliable sources, Jundullah is a small group which does not have potential to
inflict more than small attacks on security forces in Pakistan and Iran. Like BLA, this militant
group is also supported by RAW and Mossad with the technical help of CIA. Now, both BLA
and Jundullah have links with each other. And their militants are getting arms and ammunition
from Afghanistan where US-led India and Israel have established their secret network not only to
create lawlessness in Pakistan and Iran, but also to sabotage good relationship of these countries.
Notably, Afghanistan shares a common border with Pakistan and Iran, so it has become easy for
these foreign elements to achieve their sinister anti-Pak-Iranian aims.
It is notable that Jewish-Hindu lobbies are collectively working in America and other European
countries to exploit the double standards of the west in relation to terrorism and human rights
vis-a-vis Pakistan and Iran. They also accuse Tehran and Islamabad of sponsoring cross-border
terrorism in the related regions of South Asia and the Middle East.
It is worth-mentioning that US-India nuclear agreement is part of American desire to make India
a major power to counterbalance the rising influence of China in Asia and control Iran. In this
context, on May 22, 2013, Islamabad and Tehran signed the gas pipeline project without waiting
for New Delhi’s participation because the latter was tilted towards Washington, using delaying
tactics in this connection.
Moreover, it is owing to the ideal geo-strategic location of Balochistan with Gwadar seaport
which could prove to be Pakistan’s key junction, connecting rest of the world with Central Asia
and further strengthening Pak-Iranian strategic position that America has also become a part of
Indo-Israeli plot in creating instability in Pakistan and Iran so as to complete the hidden agenda.
Nonetheless, instead of leveling baseless allegations against Pakistan and ISI in relation to the
recent terror-attack on the Iranian border guards, Iran’s top officials, lawmakers and political
experts must better show realistic approach by taking note of the foreign conspirators which have
been creating misunderstanding between Islamabad and Tehran.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants,
Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
