ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Friday said it would communicate to the US the critical need for Pakistan to enhance trade and energy cooperation with Iran.

“Pakistan and the United States have a robust dialogue and several channels of communication and we would continue to engage with them and explain the importance that Pakistan accords to its relations with its neighbours and the need for this cooperation so as to have the Pakistan-Iran border as a border of peace, security and prosperity,” FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at the weekly media briefing.

Pakistan and Iran, during the visit of Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi earlier this week, committed to increase their annual trade volume to $10bn over the next five years and expand energy cooperation.

Ms Baloch, while referring to the joint communique issued by the countries at the conclusion of Mr Raisi’s visit, said the energy cooperation entails trade in electricity, laying power transmission lines and the IP gas pipeline project.

Foreign Office rejects ‘unwarranted’ Indian claims on AJK

However, US immediately warned Pakistan against entering into business deals with Iran. “We advise anyone considering business deals with Iran to be aware of the potential risk of sanctions,” spokesperson Vedant Patel had said during a news briefing.

The IP gas pipeline stands as the most significant component of energy cooperation between Iran and Pakistan. Nevertheless, due to US sanctions on Iran, Pakistan has hesitated to advance the project. This year, Islamabad indicated its readiness to build its portion of the pipeline, primarily to avoid international arbitration by Tehran, which could impose a penalty of $18bn on Pakistan for failing to fulfil the agreement. Despite this development, it remains uncertain if Islamabad will start purchasing gas from Iran as long as US sanctions remain in effect.

Ms Baloch said Pakistan was engaged with US and had discussed the various aspects of Pakistan’s energy needs. She emphasised that Pakistan’s relations with Iran were not at the cost of ties with Washington. “I should underline that Pakistan does not believe in zero-sum relationships. Expan­sion of our relations with one country should not be considered as coming at the expense of our relationship with another. Pakistan is confident that its relationship with its friends and partners, including the United Sta­tes, are robust enough to move forward on their own merit, and notwithstanding any other relationships that Pakistan has with other countries in our national interest,” she said.

Pakistan’s position on the gas project will be shaped by its national interests, focusing on energy needs, and influenced by the global context, including any UN sanctions and trade considerations with other countries, especially within the energy sector, she explained.

Provocation rejected

“We are witnessing an alarming surge in provocative statements from Indian leaders asserting unwarranted claims on AJK. Pakistan rejects these claims.

“Fuelled by hyper-nationalism, this inflammatory rhetoric poses a grave threat to regional peace and susceptibility,” she added, urging “Indian politicians to cease their reckless practice of dragging Pakistan into India’s populist public discourse for electoral motives”.

“Historical and legal facts as well as ground realities refute India’s baseless claims over AJK. Despite India’s rhetoric and assertions, Jammu and Kashmir remains an internationally recognised disputed territory,” the spokesperson asserted, according to a Dawn.com report.

She noted that the UN Security Council resolutions on the region “clearly outline that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir shall be determined by the will of the people through a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices”.

“India would be wise to help implement these resolutions instead of harbouring delusions of grandeur,” the FO spokesperson stressed.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2024