Pakistan shows Iran India’s RAW mischief

• Army chief Gen Raheel shows evidence of RAW’s involvement in Pakistan to Iranian President Rouhani, says Indian spy agency using Iranian soil for anti-Pak plots
• Iranian president tells presser Pak military leadership did not take up RAW issue during meeting

Pakistan Army chief General Raheel Sharif on Saturday told Iranian President Dr Hassan Rouhani to ensure that India’s spy agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) does not use Iranian soil for subversive activities against Pakistan.

Pakistan’s concern over RAW activities was conveyed to Iran during a meeting between the two leaders.

However surprisingly, Dr Rouhani denied in a press conference before his return to Tehran on Saturday evening that Pakistan’s leadership had taken up the RAW issue during the meeting.

Dr Rouhani was replying to a question regarding a claim made by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) after his meeting with Gen Sharif that the army chief had raised the matter of RAW’s terrorism with the Iranian leader.

“Whenever Iran comes closer to Pakistan such rumours are spread,” Rouhani said, adding that the two sides had held wide ranging discussions for cooperation in the areas of trade, economy and energy as well as the regional and international issues of mutual interest.

RAW USES IRAN SOIL:

Reacting to the Iranian president’s statement, the chief military spokesman Lt Gen Asim Bajwa shared the text of General Raheel’s meeting with President Rouhani on twitter.

“There is one concern that RAW is involved in Pakistan, especially in Balochistan, and sometimes it also uses the soil of our brother country Iran,” read the text of the meeting shared with media by Gen Bajwa.

During the meeting with the Iranian president, Gen Raheel reportedly asked Rouhani to tell them [RAW] that “they should stop these activities and allow Pakistan to achieve stability”, Bajwa tweeted.

Earlier, the military’s media wing had claimed that General Raheel had discussed the issue of RAW’s involvement in Pakistan’s internal affairs with the Iranian president.

The army chief while highlighting the challenges being faced by Pakistan, discussed the alleged involvement of RAW in Pakistani affairs, especially in Balochistan, the ISPR statement had claimed.

Sources in the military establishment told Pakistan Today on the condition of anonymity that Gen Raheel had indeed conveyed Pakistan’s deep concerns over RAW’s use of Iranian soil for subversive activities against Pakistan.

“The COAS asked the Iranian president to ensure that India’s spy agency does not use Iran for terrorism against Pakistan,” said the sources.

The matter was taken up in wake of the arrest of a RAW agent from Balochistan’s coastal areas. According to military sources, Kul Bushan Yadav, a senior Indian naval officer now working for RAW, was deployed at Chabahar Port from where he had sneaked into Balochistan through Gwadar Port.

Chabahar is an Iranian port being developed by India with an agenda to curtail the significance of strategic Gwadar Port. Gwadar Port has not only provided Pakistan an opportunity to link with the Persian Gulf with a shortest possible route but also the development of Ormara Naval Base alongside Gwadar has expanded the strategic outreach of Pakistan Army into the Gulf waters where 97 per cent of the world trade passes through.

Sources said that Gen Raheel had presented hard evidence of Indian involvement in the coastal areas of Balochistan and Sindh to destabilise Pakistan through subversive acts by proscribed terrorist outfits.

“Gen Raheel told Dr Rouhani that Iran should reciprocate the efforts made by Pakistan to help Iran curb separatist and sectarian activities by Iranian Baloch insurgents. The Iranian president promised not to allow the use of its soil against Pakistan,” the source said.

Pakistan helped Iran in capturing Jandullah terrorist Abdul Malik Regi and his accomplices who were wanted in many subversive activities in Iran and Pakistan.

“Dr Rouhani, meanwhile, conveyed Iran’s concern over Pakistan’s increasing engagement with the 34-nation alliance of Sunni-majority countries.

“The COAS made it clear that Pakistan’s engagement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) alliance would be based on professional, technical and intelligence sharing. Pakistan will not be part of any campaign against any sovereign Muslim state, including Iran,” the source said quoting Gen Raheel as saying in the meeting.

The source added that efforts by Pakistan to ensure strict adherence to joint border management with Iran also came under discussion and it was agreed to take all necessary arrangements to ensure free movement of pilgrims between the two countries.

The source said that the two leaders also discussed cooperation for the Afghan peace process and it was decided to promote a joint strategy to bring the Afghan Taliban and Afghan government on the negotiating table.

Bridging the gap:

Addressing the press conference before his departure, President Rouhani spoke on the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, saying his country had almost completed the work on the pipeline on its side of the border and would be in a position to provide gas to Pakistan in a few months. “It was now up to Pakistan to initiate work on its side,” he added.

He said Iran could meet all the energy needs of Pakistan. The country was already selling 1,000MW electricity to Pakistan, which could be increased up to 3,000 MW.

He said that wider connectivity between the two ports would link Pakistan and Iran with the Central Asian countries. He said more road and rail networks between the neighbouring countries would spur immense trade and business activities, resultantly leading to progress and prosperity in the whole region.

He viewed the development of Gwadar port vital for linkage with the countries up to the Central Asia, besides referring to the Iranian Chabahar port as the significant one in the region.

Replying to a query about the Afghan peace process, Dr Rouhani said both Pakistan and Iran being important Muslim countries, had always held consultations and collaborated on the issue.

“During my talks with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, we have specifically talked about the issue,” he said, adding that his country fully agreed to a proposal by the Pakistani side for holding trilateral talks among Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.

He stressed that peace and security was vital for Afghanistan and Iran was ready to do whatever it could to help bring peace and stability there. He said Pakistan and Iran were playing their parts to resolve the Afghan issue through bilateral and trilateral consultations.

About Iran-Saudi tensions, Dr Rouhani said that Iran was not interested in any tensions as it was a peace loving country.

“Different Muslim countries, including Pakistan, have offered to resolve the issue,” he said, adding that any problem among the Muslim countries should be resolved as the Muslim world required peace, progress and prosperity.

To another question, the president said Pakistan and Iran had agreed for steps for more secure common borders, which would also help increase bilateral trade through setting up border market places.

About Syrian ceasefire, Dr Rouhani expressed the hope that it would hold the ground, paving way for restoration of peace between the government and opposition. He urged all the parties to play their role to resolve the Syrian issue through peace.

vity between Gwadar and Chahbahar seaports through roads and shipping lines for a win-win situation to both the countries.

Earlier, the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had claimed that General Raheel Sharif had discussed the issue of RAW’s involvement in Pakistan’s internal affairs with the Iranian president.

The army chief while highlighting the challenges being faced by Pakistan, discussed the alleged involvement of RAW in Pakistani affairs, especially in Balochistan, the ISPR statement had claimed.