We all know about the ruthless Dirty Politics from Politicians in our country. Though it happens in any part of the world’s politics and not only in Pakistan but you might have seen a less number of times women exposing themselves on a Live Tv Show.

This is the clipping from the latest edition of Kal Tak – Live show of Express News Tv. Where the two female politicians lose control over their language and comments and started to expose each other while Host goes speecless (as expected).

Checkout the video:

Jamaat-e-Islami protest against the military operations in Swat Valley on May, 15. It is reported that localised Talibani leaders are shaving off their beards to flee from the dsirupt areas of operations by Pakistani Army. So far Pakistani Army has done a successfull job on the operation on Swat.

Article by Dr. Ali Mohammad. Author of the book “Wither, Not Pakistan” – Published in Pakistan Observer, October 22, 2008

The Pakistani nation is pleased with the visit of the President Zardari to China. The nation has been informed by its Federal Ministers that China has agreed upon installation of two nuclear power generation plants, a communication satellite, development of Thar coal, building of Bhasha and Kohala hydro-electric power plants, exploration of mineral resources, and helping the banking sector in Pakistan. The decision by President Zardari to visit China every three months will certainly intensify good relations with our most trusted neighbor and friend.

At this juncture, the President’s attention needs to drawn to another important country that should be visited. Iran has been our very important neighbor, while the relations between the two countries have been excellent. The two countries share a common border of nearly 1200 kilometers, while their people share a common heritage, religion, culture, language, and history. Many of the famous works of well-known Urdu poets like Iqbal have been in Persian, while Ferdosi, Omar Khayam, Saadi, Hafiz, and Rumi are household names in Pakistan. The economies of two countries too complement each other and mutual development efforts could bring prosperity and stability to their people. But above all, as the two countries must work together to counter external and internal threats.

Historically, Iran was the first country to recognize Pakistan in 1947. This was reciprocated by Pakistan, which recognized Iran’s Revolutionary government before any other country in the world. Early in their formative relations in 1964, the economic and security treaty called the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) was drawn up between Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan. RCD has been expanded into the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in 1985, which includes Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan. Azerbaijan joined the ECO in 1992. It is the hallmark of their brotherly relations that Iran provided a strategic depth to Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971. For her part, Pakistan has played a constructive role in Iran’s uncomfortable relations with the Arab nations. Pakistan gave moral and political support to Iran during the Iran–Iraq war against the wishes of the USA and some Arab states. Pakistan has also refused to yield to intense pressure from the USA to allow its soil to be used for aggression against our neighbor. Iran has supported Pakistan’s nuclear programs while it perceives India’s nuclear tests as a source of concern and hegemonic in design. On the other hand, while Pakistan has been blamed in the West for its secret nuclear assistance to Iran, it has relentlessly supported Iran’s inalienable right to develop its nuclear capabilities to meet its domestic needs.

The decade of 1990 was, unfortunately, a defining moment in the history of two countries. First, some people in Iran allege that Pakistan had titled towards Saddam during the Iran-Iraq war under the pressure from the Saudis and the Americans. Next, the dizzying events of the 1990s in the region, especially joint operations by Pakistan and the USA, restricted the leadership of our two countries in developing strategies for our mutual security during and after the war in Afghanistan. As the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, Iran perceived it as act to isolate Iran and a serious challenge to its security and national interests. Iran moved to counter it by supporting the Northern Alliance and becoming close to Russia, India, and the Central Asian countries. This all proved to be against the national interests and security of Pakistan and gave rise to ethnic and sectarian unrest in Pakistan.

Fortunately, relations between the two countries improved after President Pervez Musharraf visit to Iran in December 1999. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami described ties between Iran and Pakistan “as profound and unbreakable” and that “undoubtedly, the two countries’ national interests are linked to one another and together we must strive to safeguard these interests.” More recently, statements by Iran’s top leadership against terrorism in Pakistan, foreign incursions, and the offer of economic assistance (including the timely offer of selling oil on a deferred payment basis), and the development of an energy corridor are welcome developments. For its part, Pakistan has explicitly supported Iran’s sovereignty and its inalienable right to develop nuclear sources.

Iran has also realized India’s duplicity in the West’s campaign against the Iranian nuclear program; India voted twice against Iran at IAEA and while keeping mum at Israel’s nuclear arsenal, Prime Minister Singh stated that India did not want to see Iran to become another nuclear power in the region. India’s far-reaching nuclear deal with the USA and their recent joint navy exercise is an unmistakable indication of attempts to expand India’s “orbit of influence” far beyond its borders. Moreover, India’s recognition of Israel with whom it has highly secretive but extensive defense relations are clearly against the principled stand of Iran and other countries in the region. India’s procrastination on the Iran Pakistan – India pipeline deal under USA pressure is also revealing. Iran also knows India’s role in arming and training the Baloch miscreants in Iran and Pakistan. In recent years, Pakistan has handed over Baloch miscreants fighting the writ of Iranian government.

We believe that frequent meetings of top Pakistani and Iranian leaders can help to consolidate ties between the two countries. In their fight against foreign sponsored insurgency especially in some parts of Pakistani and Iranian Balochistan, they can work on a two-prong approach – they must coordinate their efforts through intelligence sharing and joint military operations, and they must work with the ethnic leadership to find a political solution. As political, military, territorial, and security concerns have always prevailed in the two countries, strengthening defense cooperation should be one of the most important ingredients in future Iran-Pakistan relations. They both face serious threats from foreign aggression and their close cooperation could help avert looming disasters. Pakistan can help Iran ease foreign sanctions and can convince the USA that an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities can set off a conflagration in the region with economic and environmental consequences for the entire world. Similarly, we believe that strengthening relations between Pakistan and Iran in addition to reinforcing the already fraternal links with China and Saudi Arabia will strengthen regional security and economic prosperity. Iran has also taken major steps to improve its relations with other Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia. Reconciliation between Iran and these states has certainly been welcome news for Iran and Pakistan as the later has friendly relations with those states.

Also, there is great potential for increased economic relations between Iran and Pakistan. These could include energy (oil, gas, electricity), agriculture and food, infrastructure, defense, and joint ventures in medium and heavy industry. With its enviable wealth, Iran can make a considerable investment in Pakistan to help it out of its current financial morass. The current energy agreement and IPI pipeline should be implemented without any further delay and should include China which is in need of energy resources. Moreover, with Pakistan’s past role in improving Iran and China relations, especially in the defense area, and subsequent events, a triangular relationship among China, Iran and Pakistan can further be strengthened due to the development of the strategic Gawadar seaport close to the Iranian border. Furthermore, economic and trade links can be extended to other countries in the region. For example, Gwadar can also provide a vital link to landlocked Afghanistan, the Central Asian countries, and Russia, in addition to linking Pakistani Balochistan and Sistan-Balochistan provinces in Iran.

In sum, while strengthening economic relations between the two countries are certainly vital for strengthening ties, security and geo-political concerns have always been top on the agenda on the two nations. Iran and Pakistan have supported each other in times of turbulence. The two countries are once again at the crossroad of highly dangerous times in their history. They must rise to the occasion and provide a strategic depth in all matters and during any crisis to each other. Together they can sail through these times; their leaders can show the way.

photo credit: Amir Farshad Ebrahimi