ISLAMABAD: Iranian President Dr Hassan Rouhani completed his two-day trip and returned home on Saturday after offering energy security to Pakistan, but without any big ticket deals.
As the Iranian president, who came here to push forward the bilateral economic ties, boarded his aircraft at Chaklala Air Base for return journey, his country had already been drawn into a brewing controversy over an Indian spy allegedly involved in carrying out espionage in Pakistan from Iranian soil. The row partially eclipsed his trip.
Six agreements, key among them a five-year Strategic Trade Cooperation Plan, were signed during the visit. While the other five agreements in the fields of insurance, culture, health and research carried little substance, the trade accord only renewed an old commitment about raising the bilateral trade to $5 billion in the next five years.
Speaking at a press conference at the conclusion of his trip, Mr Rouhani had not much to talk about other than to recap the offers he had extended to Pakistani leaders, whom he met during his stay here, which included meeting energy needs, developing connectivity between ports, cooperation in securing borders, and collaboration in dealing with regional issues, including Afghanistan.
“My focus was better economic cooperation …now that after the lifting of sanctions there are lesser limitations and restrictions on economic, financial and banking ties between our countries,” he said.
The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, which has long been held up, was in particular being seen as a litmus test of the success of the visit.
Mr Rouhani said he had asked Pakistan to fulfil its obligations with regard to the project. “Now that the sanctions have been lifted, I hope that Pakistan government would do the required as soon as possible. The ball is in Pakistan’s court,” he said while responding to a question.
He said that apart from gas Iran was also keen to increase electricity export to Pakistan first to 1,000MW and later to 3,000MW. Pakistan is currently importing less than 100 MW for border regions from Iran and has previously signed an MoU for another 1,000MW.
“We can meet Pakistan’s needs in oil, gas and electricity. Pakistan can count on Iran and Iran is ready to live up to Pakistan’s expectations,” the president said.
Mr Rouhani was so enthusiastic about the proposal that he at a business meeting, which he co-chaired with PM Nawaz Sharif, said that Iran could “be responsible for the provision of Pakistan’s energy security”.
He also proposed a corridor connecting his country’s Chabahar Port with Gwadar Port through rail and shipping lines. The two ports are viewed as rivals, but he said the competition was good as long as it “remains healthy and constructive”.
He explained that the two ports are different in the sense that they serve different regions.
RAW controversy: There was, however, another controversy that started developing ahead of Mr Rouhani’s trip and which initially looked unrelated to it. That was about an Indian spy from RAW, who was arrested from Balochistan. But, as leaks continued to flow it was revealed that the spy was based in Iranian city of Chabahar and had been illegally crossing into Pakistan since 2013. He was also said to be having a valid Iranian visa.
When Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif met President Rouhani, ISPR claimed that he raised the issue of RAW working against Pakistan from Iran.
The ISPR said in a statement that the COAS highlighted the challenges being faced by Pakistan and discussed involvement of RAW in internal affairs of Pakistan, especially in Balochistan.
Mr Rouhani, in his presser, denied having discussed the matter with Gen Sharif.
He instead said that such rumours are floated whenever Iran and Pakistan attempt to get close and intimate. He, however, noted that he had heard about this matter some “20 times” in the past.
He said that Gen Sharif talked about bilateral cooperation.
Reacting to Mr Rouhani’s denial, the ISPR insisted that the matter of RAW’s involvement came up during talks.
The ISPR later in the evening released, what it claimed was, verbatim of Gen Sharif’s conversation with Mr Rouhani on the issue.
“There is one concern that RAW is involved in Pakistan, especially Balochistan and sometimes also use the soil of our brother country, Iran. I request, they should be told to stop these activities and allow Pakistan to achieve stability,” Gen Sharif was quoted in a tweet by military spokesman Lt Gen Asim Bajwa.
AFGHANISTAN: Besides, the economic cooperation Iran is eager to work with Pakistan for peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“In this visit I specially talked about it (Afghanistan) with Nawaz Sharif for working together to bring peace and security in Afghanistan as both of us are affected by it,” Mr Rouhani said.
He claimed that PM Sharif offered him a trilateral process in this regard.
The three countries in the past had a similar arrangement under which a few summits were held, but nothing substantive could be achieved.
BORDER COOPERATION: Border security has been a key concern for both Iran and Pakistan. It was, therefore, one of the main agenda items during the visit.
“There are problems, but not from the Iranian side. Some terrorists act from Pakistani side,” the Iranian president said.
He said that his Pakistani interlocutors assured cooperation for making the border safe and secure.
Mr Rouhani said there had been agreement to open two more border crossings for facilitating trade, but observed that trade could only happen when the borders were safe.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1248229/iran-offers-to-meet-pakistans-energy-needs
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