By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, China and Iran will soon hold trilateral meeting on counter terrorism and security in another sign of growing role of Beijing, bringing together the neighbours on crucial issues.
The first meeting of Pakistan-China-Iran Trilateral Consultation on counter terrorism and security was held in Beijing in June last year. The move was aimed at coordinating efforts to collectively fight terrorism and groups that are trying to undermine the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Official sources said the trilateral meeting would review the current security situation and activities of terrorist groups threatening the regional stability.
China has keen interest in Pakistan-Iran dealing this threat together as their shared border is home to some of the groups targeting the Chinese interests.
Majid Brigade, a suicide wing of a Baloch terrorist outfit, is formed to target China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. In recent years the group took responsibility of many deadly attacks targeting Chinese nationals and CPEC.
China feels that close cooperation between Pakistan and Iran could neutralise these threats.
Pakistan and Iran were on the verge of full scale conflict in January over the presence of terrorist groups in their shared border.
On 16 January, Iran fired missiles into Pakistan targeting what it claimed were terrorist hideouts of Jaish-al-Adl, a group responsible for deadly attacks against the Iranian security forces. Pakistan denied the allegations and two days later retaliated with similar claims.
However, following the missile exchanges, the two countries swiftly moved to sort out their issues.
The two countries recently decided to implement the decision taken during the visit of Iranian foreign minister in January to deploy senior military officials in each other’s countries.
Official sources said a colonel ranked Pakistan Army official was deployed in Zaydan, Sistan-Baluchistan while Iranian Revolutionary Guard officer would station in Turbat, Balochistan for better coordination.
The two countries have been discussing the security pact to avoid future escalations. Iran and Pakistan would also ban terrorist outfits operating in the border region.
Interior Minister Mohsen Naqvi is expected to travel to Iran in coming weeks to finalise the security pact.
