Sharpening Shia-Sunni divide in Middle East helps Israel
Iran has offered Islamabad mediation on the Kashmir issue. It has agreed to join the Saudi-led military alliance against terrorism. It has invited Pakistan to join hands with it to put life into the OIC which remains by and large dysfunctional. Iran has also welcomed the CPEC both as a regional game changer and as a unifying force for member countries. It has further expressed keenness to upgrade the bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement signed in 2014 to a full-fledged Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to enhance two way business and trade with Pakistan. Some of the suggestions require Pakistan to play a difficult role but offer a win win situation for all the parties involved
Pakistan has vainly hoped for US intervention to resolve the Kashmir issue. Relying on an election campaign assurance by Barack Obama, Islamabad continued for eight years to hope for a move in the direction that never came. It is now holding on to Donald Trump’s “extraordinary deal-making skills” to mediate with India over the issue. It remains uncertain if an unpredictable Trump would ever undertake the effort. Pakistan would meanwhile do well to accept the Iranian offer. In would benefit Pakistan if it leads to the resumption of talks on the key issue between the two countries. It would help Pakistan even if India turns down the Iranian offer as it would convince Iran of Indian obduracy. It would be still better if the OIC nudged by both Pakistan and Iran agrees to mediate in the issue.
Islamabad should press on the Saudi led alliance members to include Iran along with Syria and Iraq in the alliance to remove the highly negative perception of its being a sectarian alliance. It would in fact raise Pakistan’s image if it succeeds in removing the Sunni-Shia hostility in the Gulf which is injurious for these countries while it also weakens the support for the Palestinian people. Resolving the two issues of Palestine and Kashmir would weaken the terrorist networks like al Qaeda and ISIS which thrive on the strong sentiment in the world Muslim community against injustices to the Palestinians and Kashmiris.
