Pakistan’s attack on Baloch separatist camps in Iran may have satisfied national honour, but has left the issue of Baloch separatism unsolved. Pakistan has shown that it too can strike at terrorist camps even if they are on Iranian soil. The two countries should realize that they have a common problem, that of Baloch separatism, and it needs to be addressed together, rather than as separately. Part of the problem seems to be that there are separate separatist movements, with no crossover. Organizations working for the separation of Iranian Balochistan seem separate from those working for the separation of Pakistani Balochistan, and they have bases in the other country. This means that the host country has a very low incentive to seek out the other’s separatists. It would seem only logical for the two countries to work together on this issue. Once a terrorist camp is identified, there seems no reason why the ‘host’ country should either act itself and hand over any captured terrorists to the other, or allow the other country’s law enforcement agencies the necessary access for action.
Until there is some such agreement, the two countries will keep on offering the world such exhibitions. Already, Iran has lost more than Pakistan. Its attack on Pakistan was a response to the bombing at the Soleimani anniversary commemoration, as was its attacks on Iraq and Syria, but now Pakistan’s response has ensured that all those events have been thrown into the background. Also thrown into the background for both countries has been the continuing Israeli attack on Gaza. Indeed, it allowed US President Joe Biden to pontificate about the region, and say that Iran is not well-liked in the region. The USA cannot help but be satisfied by a turn of events which pits a diehard opponent against an ally which is trying to keep the relationship on even keel. China’s offer to mediate, follows its earlier call to both countries to show restraint is because of this: it cannot look on diligently as two of its friends quarrel with each other.
It is now up to Iran what will be the next move. Pakistan may consider its honour satisfied, and will probably not want to take the matter much further. In principle, that means agreeing to target a menace which both countries face, and that too in the same place. The various ties between them run too deep for them to afford a quarrel.
