ISLAMABAD: India entered in Iran in early years of the current decade basically to practice its greater game plan of encircling and isolating Pakistan through Tehran. It undertook at least three Iranian strategic projects as a part of its strategy to invest dollar in Iran and make that country its ally in the region to give Pakistan a double below and subsequently destabilize it through its spy networks by using Iran’s soil. India promised Iran to invest billions of dollars in Cha Bahar port project, Iran gas field and Railway project linking Southeastern province with Afghanistan. India’s strategy of becoming partner with Iran for these three strategic projects Cha Bahar port, Iran Railway line linking it to Afghanistan and development of Farzad B, a promising gas field in Pursian Gulf region, was basically to stay in Iran for a long time and use its soil against Pakistan to play a dirty role of financing terrorist activities in Baluchistan and Sindh to add to Pakistan’s problem in the foresee future. For India, paying 10 to 12 billion dollars to Iran in the name of partnership was not a big deal. India knew its intelligence RAW has already established a well-linked terrorist network in Afghanistan area bordering Iran and with its existence in Iran its intelligence will hit Pakistan below the belt and subsequently it will force Pakistan to come to the knee. Iran too did not deter to become a part to Indian anti Pakistan greater game plan. It readily offered India its chabahar port project which these both countries were considering an alternative to Pakistan’s Gowadar port. Iran’s intension towards Pakistan were not good also. Pakistan has undeniable evidence that for years Iran was working against Pakistan’s interest in the region. Arrest of Kulbhushan Jadhev , a serving Naval commander, from Baluchistan and unearthing of his Iran- based spy network was more than any evidence for Pakistan to reach to a conclusion that Iran was not only facilitating Indian spying network from its soil to start insurgency in Baluchistan, but it was also an active partner to Indian anti- Pakistan activities. Not only this, Pakistan has repeatedly alleged that Iran was sending into Pakistan its proxies to fund and fuel any activity which could harm Islamabad. The statements of Iranian slain army commander, Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in US missile attack recently, can also be reviewed in the same context. Qasem Soleimani had publically warned Pakistan before his death that his forces (Iranian military) may enter into Pakistan to punish its forces. Now the latest disclosure of Ozair Baloch, a Pakistani terrorist who got shelter in Iran is not a revelation for many in Pakistan. Ozair Baloch in his statement, given to joint investigation team (JIT), clearly said during his shelter in Iran, he had meetings with Iranian intelligence who were only interested in getting some secret information about Pakistan’s defence forces.
Pakistan was fully aware of India-Iran nexus and its working against it. It did make some arrange to thwart Iran-India anti Pakistan plan but it tried to stay cool. Its top political and military leadership did take the ‘issues’ with Iranian leadership but it never went public on sensitive issues with Iran.
Now after 8 long years , Iran has expelled India from all its strategic projects. For India, expulsion from Iran is something more than crashing of mutual cooperation between the two counties.
Indian greater game plan to encircle Pakistan through Iran falls apart
Arif Rana is the Chief Editor and senior correspondent, Islamabad based journalist, who did his Master in English Literature from Government College University Lahore.