Pakistan: We Do Not Intend to Escalate Disputes with Iran; Dialogue Between the Foreign Ministers of Both Countries

On Friday, January 19, Pakistan announced that it does not wish to escalate disputes with Iran. These remarks came after senior civilian and military leaders in Pakistan convened to assess the situation following recent attacks by both countries on militant bases within each other's territory. An informed source in the Pakistani Prime Minister's Office told Reuters that Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, the interim Prime Minister, initiated a meeting of the National Security Committee with all military commanders present. He shortened his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos due to the emergency situation and returned to Pakistan on Thursday. Murtaza Solangi, Pakistan's Information Minister, stated that the meeting aims to conduct a 'comprehensive review of national security following the incidents between Iran and Pakistan.' Meanwhile, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced that Jalil Abbas Jilani, the country's Foreign Minister, spoke with his Iranian counterpart on Friday, emphasizing closer cooperation on security issues and expressing Pakistan's readiness to collaborate with Iran on all matters. This contact occurred amid Pakistan's response to this week's attacks from Tehran, which targeted militant bases in Pakistan, by attacking militant targets within Iranian territory. These attacks represent the most serious border clashes between the two countries in recent years and pose a serious warning for broader instability in the Middle East since the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas began. However, both sides, despite their historically difficult relations, expressed their willingness to reduce tensions. According to Iran, nine individuals, including four children, were killed during Pakistan's attacks in a border village. Pakistan claims that two children were killed in Iran's attacks on Tuesday. Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, urged both countries to exercise maximum restraint. The United States also called for restraint from both parties, although President Joe Biden stated that these conflicts demonstrate that the Islamic Republic is not particularly 'favored' in the region. Islamabad claims to have targeted the bases of the Baloch Liberation Front and the Baloch Liberation Army, while Tehran alleges that it attacked the centers of the 'Jaish al-Adl' militant group with drones and missiles. The militant groups targeted operate in an area that includes the province of Balochistan in southwestern Pakistan and southern Iran. The groups that Islamabad claims to have attacked have been fighting against the Pakistani government for decades and have targeted various entities in Balochistan, including Chinese citizens. Jaish al-Adl, which the Islamic Republic claims to have attacked, is also considered an ethnic militant group but has Sunni Islamist tendencies and is viewed as a threat by the Shia Islamic Republic. This group, which has connections to the Islamic State, has conducted attacks against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran. Against the backdrop of the war in Gaza, the Islamic Republic and its allies are demonstrating power in the region. This week, Tehran also conducted attacks in Syria against what it called ISIS centers and in Iraq against a target it claims was an Israeli espionage center.