LAHORE – My second son Raham, who is only 9 years old, runs up to me and stops to catch his breath. As I was looking at him, he suddenly said: “A few days ago, you met your Iranian uncle in Lahore and a photo of them together was published, but his helicopter went missing.”
I looked at him in surprise and he placed his phone in front of me. News broke that the helicopter carrying the Iranian President, Iranian Foreign Minister and his colleagues had disappeared. Tears filled my helpless eyes and I began to tell my little son that he was the President of Iran and a friend of Pakistan. Our family, like millions of other Pakistanis, bowed down before the court of Almighty Allah and began praying for the safety of the Iranian President, Foreign Minister and others, but Almighty Allah’s decision had already been taken. I was there. One day it will be given to every soul.
It had to happen, and footage began to play on television screens confirming the martyrdom of Iran’s president, foreign minister, and their colleagues. Iranians are a brave people who know how to face challenges. Even then, when Khomeini passed away, Iran reacted bravely, and now again, Iran will soon be out of this difficult situation.
During the late President Raisi’s recent visit to Pakistan, I had the opportunity to meet him and the late Iranian Foreign Minister. When I met him in Iran in 2016, he had not yet assumed the position of President of Iran, and I was already admiring Ebrahim Raisi’s wisdom. In this meeting, he did not have an emotional conversation or a political style, but had a very rational discussion about the complexities of Iran-Pakistan relations. He firmly believed that a close brotherly relationship was in the best interests of both countries and could not be seen through the eyes of ideological disputes that had been going on for centuries. I remember that my meeting with him in Pakistan took place in the residential part of the governor’s residence in Lahore, where preparations were being made for a ceremony honoring Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. When Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri introduced me to martyred President Ebrahim Raisi, a loving smile spread across Iran’s president’s face. What a beautiful smile that was!
When I told President Ebrahim Raisi about the meeting I had in Iran in 2016, he immediately said he remembered that meeting and the conversations that took place. That was a very happy feeling for me. The event was hosted by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Her Excellency Maryam Nawaz, in honor of distinguished guests. The visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was extremely important for bilateral relations. High-level authorities of both countries have been very proactive in making the effects of the unpleasant situation on the Pakistan-Iran border a thing of the past, and the late President Raisi and the late Foreign Minister were also successful in achieving this goal. .
In particular, Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri was accelerating his efforts to save both countries from the negative effects of this situation as soon as possible. At this event, Iranian Consul General in Lahore Mehran Mahadfar, who is very keen on improving relations with Pakistan, arranged a meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister. I had another short conversation with the martyred Iranian Foreign Minister in which he said that both governments and people like you have a role to play in further improving Pakistan-Iran relations. I clearly stated that it should. There should be no misunderstanding between the two brotherly nations. There must be room for understanding. He was very keen on building friendly relations with Pakistan. It is clear that martyred President Raisi made this visit at a time when Pakistan was suffering from the worst economic situation and it was a sign that he was a true friend of Pakistan.
Being fully aware of Pakistan’s economic recovery and its needs, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan’s foreign policy is related to its economic needs and in this case, improving relations with Iran is of great importance. has repeatedly stated. The former government of President Shahbaz Sharif supplied electricity from Iran to meet Gwadar’s electricity needs, and President Raisi attended the power supply ceremony with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Only memories remain. Both leaders were well aware that strategic changes in the region are continuing to emerge and that we must move together through these times of change.
The people of Pakistan are confident that the Iranian leadership will further strengthen its friendship policy with Pakistan, as per the vision of martyred President Raisi.
