Islamic Republics and their Foes

By

Dr Raja Muhammad Khan

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Islamic Republic of Iran was very precise and candid once he spoke his heart in Islamabad, on the eve of Trilateral Summit of three Islamic Republics; Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, on February 17, 2012. As an established statesman, profoundly aware of regional and global situation, President Ahmadinejad very accurately identified the problems of the South West Asian Muslim Republics (Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan).  He said that, “All the problems we are facing today in the region are coming from the outside. In order to promote their goals and ambitions … they don’t want to allow our nations to develop.” The statement carries lot of meanings for these three Muslim brotherly and neighbourly countries. Certainly, these views were shared by the presidents of the other two Islamic Republics regarding the issues each one is facing and at time common problems, facing all three Islamic republics.

Begins with Tehran in 2009, the forum of Trilateral Summit, is an excellent platform to debate and resolve regional issues among the three brotherly countries. As pledged during the Islamabad moot of this Trilateral Summit, all three Islamic Republics have decided “to enhance cooperation among the countries comprehensively for realizing the shared aspiration of their peoples for peace, security, stability and economic prosperity.” Heads of the states also agreed to implement the previous decisions of the Trilateral Summits of 2009 and 2011. Since the problems of this region are common, therefore, a common approach and objectivity with the determination of the national leadership of all these would be needed gradually to address them on permanent basis. 

President Ahmadinejad has realistically pointed out that, “There are countries that are determined to dominate our region. And they have targeted our region for their domination and hegemony. We should deny others the opportunity to interfere in our affairs.”  Today, all these countries are either direct or indirect target of the global conspiracies. Afghanistan is under occupation ever since 2001. While accusing Pakistan and Iran for their alleged interference there, the occupying powers are not allowing a future of their own to the people of Afghanistan. It is to be remembered that, traditionally Afghanistan is a homogeneous society having many intrinsic strengths. Afghan society comprises of many ethnic groups and tribal culture, all complementing each other, therefore, this traditional character of Afghanistan has been the actual strength of Afghan society.

Unfortunately, the occupants have been able to transfer this national strength of Afghan people into national liability and weakness.  Exploiting these vulnerabilities, US even had a ‘Plan B’ for the solution of Afghanistan, as proposed by Robert Dean Blackwill, the former US Ambassador to India and an advisor and lobbyists for US, India and Israel. This malevolence plan is indeed a conspiracy to divide Afghanistan on ethnic lines, which Afghans would never like.  With such a planning and future designs, the people of Afghanistan must be able to recognize their well wishers and their allies, who may be investing heavily for the time being. Afghans must realize that these occupiers and their strategic partners have no love for them. It is indeed their strategic objectives, beyond Afghanistan which they pursue, using the Afghan soil. Since Iran and Pakistan are directly affected with the presence of these extra-regional forces, therefore, they occasionally raise voices against these foreign forces, thus are irritants for US and its NATO partners and even others.

In the garb of its nuclear programme, which Iran has assured and clarified many a times, that, it is for the peaceful purposes, United States, Israel and European countries have launched a well orchestrated global campaign. As an ally of the time, US helped developing Iranian nuclear programme in late 1950s. Since 2006, Iran has been subjected to many inhuman and discriminatory sanctions. The extreme sanctions have been clamped on Iran in 2011, where it is being pushed towards an economic strangulation. The aim is to penalize this Islamic Republic anyhow for not following the directive of global giants and for raising voice against Israel, the illegal occupier of the Palestinian land, having nuclear arsenals to overpower the West Asia as an unparalleled power. U.S has been covertly funding the dissidents groups in Iran with the aim of creating chaos and anarchy in the traditionally cohesive society of Islamic Republic.  So much so, the neighbouring GCC countries are being poised by this super power to create rifts between the Muslim brothers of Iran and Gulf region. In this regards, Iranian people deserved an appreciation for not allowing foreign intrusions among their ranks and file.

Like Iran, Pakistan has been a traditional US ally in the region. Despite its unwavering support ever since 1950s, this super power has proved to be the worst enemy of Pakistan in its entire history. US global agenda has destroyed the traditionally peaceful and stable society of Pakistan. Owing to its partnership with US, Pakistan suffered enough during the cold war. Its engagement with US against former USSR has created extremism, terrorism, social disharmony, economic vulnerability, sectarianism, drug and weapon culture in Pakistan. Apart from promotion of sectarianism, the most damaging aspect has been the exploitation of the ethnic factor in Pakistan. Through its policy planners, think tanks and strategists, U.S has been issuing future maps of its ally to disintegrate on ethnic lines. US think tanks and writers; mostly paid from CIA and State Department have been massively involved through their cronies to illogically exaggerate this aspect for paving way to destabilize Pakistan for deciding its future, as per its desires and designs. In the entire process, Pakistani nuclear programme has been a great irritant and target of the United States.

United States along with its regional and global allies have launched an anti-Pakistan campaign in various parts of the country especially in its largest province, Baluchistan. So far US mostly kept it as an overt campaign. Very recently, US Senate has passed a resolution, demanding autonomy for the province in complete disregard to international laws. Though, the State Department has denied its involvement in this entire process of debating it in US Senate and later its passage by this body of US law makers, but the veracity is that, there is a very intimate involvement of White House and all tiers of the United States. It is most condemnable act committed by this super power against the State of Pakistan. By this act, U.S Administration and its law makers have violated the international norms and obligations. U.S and its Senators have no right to debate about any part of Pakistan. 

From above discussion one can conclude that, all three South West Asian Islamic Republics are facing the common enemies; mainly the United States and its allies. All these countries are also facing the common threats of US invasions with Afghanistan already under its occupation.  Once the problems are common, the recipe is also common. The recipe is indeed, the most needed unity among all. It is about time that we should not be exploited by foreign powers any more. All Islamic republics must bridge the trust deficit existing between them, mostly created by external elements. All must ensure that, they will not allow interference in each others affairs. Non-state actors playing in the hands of global conspirators, with the potentials of derailing the relationship must be eliminated with honesty. All must ensure that their soil is not being used against each other, especially by an external power and global spying networks. There must be enhancement of bilateral and trilateral trade and commerce. For more academic activities, the academicians and intellectuals of these nations must collaborate with each other for creating good will, harmony and better understanding among each other. Bilateral and trilateral trade should be promoted in such a way that regional resources should be utilized in the region first and only surplus to be exported to the international markets.

The need of the hour is that, all three Islamic Republics must cooperate with each other for the larger good of their people and nations. If today these three Islamic Republics decide to live with harmony and sincerity with for each other, there is no reason that, our adversaries can ever exploit our vulnerabilities. Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan must understand that United States, Israel and India are their real adversaries, thus must recognize their malevolence and long term designs. While being friendly with any of these republics, they would penalize others, being part of their strategies and imperialistic designs. Enough is enough; therefore, let us recognize our friends and foes before it is too late.