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The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is more of a political move
rather than a step of economic
development. The deal was signed by Zardari, Shiite President of
Pakistan to cook a trouble for
the next government, which it can cash in the days ahead. The
move would more suit the
government if predictions about Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz
coming into power in the
next general elections come true. The new government, which will
face serious economic
problems, would risk relations with the United States, the
international community and the Arabstates if it goes head with the
project. If not, Pakistan Peoples Party will obtain an issue to
exploit
and tell people that while its government inaugurated the
project, the new government failed to
complete it. The party has thus put such a burden on shoulders
of the new government, which it
itself could not carry for the last five years.
Saudis have never liked the Shi'a-dominated Pakistan People
Party and complain overPakistan
President Asif Ali Zardari's "alleged corruption and
incompetence" and because of his strategic
friendly ties with Iran.
Rivalries between Iranians and the Arabs date back to the
pre-historic Achaemenid and
Sassanian dynasties of Iran. Both ethic rivals have always tried
to edge out each other from the
regional map of powergame. This rivalry is persistent even today
and neither Arabs nor Ajams
[Iranians] are ready to leave ground to each other in the
region. During the Afghan war, and
more so after emergence of Khomeini factor in regional politics,
this rivalry took a new turn and
signs of the war of interests between the two sides can be
vividly seen in Pakistan and
Afghanistan. Apart from Saudi Arabia, other Arab states are also
equally contributing to this
conflict and one of its manifest shapes is the tension between
Iran and the United Arab Emirates
over Abu Musa and two other islands in Hormuz Straight.
A heated discussion took place between the Former Iranian
Foreign Minister Mottaki and Saudi
King Abdullah noted Iran's interference in Arab affairs." When
challenged by the King on
Iranian meddling in Hamas affairs, Mottaki apparently protested
that "these are Muslims." "No,Arabs" countered the King, "You as
Persians have no business meddling in Arab matters." The
King said the Iranians wanted to improve relations and that he
responded by giving Mottaki an
ultimatum. "I will give you one year" (to improve ties), "after
that, it will be the end."
In a meeting with White House counterterrorism adviserJohn O.
Brennan, Saudi King
Abdullah stated that "some say the U.S. invasion handed Iraq to
Iran on a silver platter; this after
we fought Saddam Hussein." In fact the so called war on weapons
of mass destruction in Iraq
was backed by Iranians, so they can bring and develop shia
government into the country.
An April 2009 cable claims that United Arab Emirates Foreign
Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin
Zayed stated there is "Saudi concern of a [Shi'a] triangle in
the region between Iran, the Maliki
government in Iraq, and Pakistan under Zardari."
The Saudis have traditionally viewed Iraq as a Sunni-dominated
bulwark against the spread of
Shiism and Iranian political influence. In the aftermath of
bombings in predominantly Shia areas
across the country in 2009 that killed dozens, PM Malikipointed
publicly to one such statement,
made by a Saudi imam in May, and stated, "We have observed that
many governments have
been suspiciously silent on the fatwa provoking the killing of
Shiites."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shi%27ahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan_Peoples_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asif_Ali_Zardarihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mottakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_O._Brennanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Arab_Emirateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nouri_al_Malikihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nouri_al_Malikihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Arab_Emirateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_O._Brennanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mottakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asif_Ali_Zardarihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan_Peoples_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shi%27a
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Saudi Arabia, in an effort to persuade Pakistan to abandon the
Iran gas pipeline and electricity/oil
import deals, was reported to have offered an alternative
package to meet its growing energy
needs. n addition, the Arab kingdom was also said to have
offered a loan and oil facility to bail
Pakistan out of its financial and energy crises.
Despite the US pressure on Pakistan to abandon IP gas pipeline
Pakistan join hands with Iran in
this deal. US wanted Pakistan to join TAPI (Turkmenistan,
Afghanistan, Pakistan and India)
pipeline project. But energy starved Pakistan in the government
of Shiite president signs the
deal with Iran through which Iran will export Shiaism to
Pakistan through its culture and
tradition.
However, while these international factors can be rubbished as
hypothetical, there are certain
palpable threats on the ground, which are hampering execution of
the project. For example, the
Shiite-Sunni rivalries in Pakistan would never allow any such
transaction with Iran. How will
Lashkar-e Jhangvi and other Sunni extremist groups allow
Pakistan to enter such deals with Iran?
If these groups cannot tolerate Shiite pilgrims traveling to
Iran, how will they allow an Iranian
company to lay the pipeline in Pakistan? Let alone the Pakistani
fanatic groups, the IranianJundullah outfit will also not let the
project go scot-free.
Baloch militancy is also a potential threat to the pipeline
project because Baloch separatist
groups would never allow execution of any economic undertaking
in Baloch areas, which can
benefit Punjab. Three Chinese engineers were killed in a massive
bomb explosion the day
Gwadar Deep Sea Port was completed in 2004, which was a
clearmessage to foreign investors
that Baloch militants are averse to such development activity in
their area. Besides, if the
government claims that RAW is involved in terrorist activities
in Balochistan, then how the
enemy would allow Pakistan to go ahead with such a gigantic
project.
