Iran-Israel conflict: Sardar Masood Khan, former AJK President and senior diplomat, cautioned that escalating Iran-Israel tensions pose serious risks to Pakistan’s security, stability, and regional standing.
He stated in a number of interviews that a protracted Iran-Israel conflict might lead to a flood of Iranian refugees into Pakistan, similar to the aftermath of the war in Afghanistan.
He warned that if fighting in the Middle East continues, Pakistan’s already limited resources will be further taxed.
There is a good chance that Iranian refugees will flee in large numbers to Pakistan if the conflict continues, Khan stated. “Such a situation would generate social, political, and economic pressure.”
Khan also cautioned that anti-state organizations purportedly supported by adversarial foreign powers, particularly India, might use the unrest on the western border as a springboard for infiltration.
He listed groups like the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) as possible dangers.
“Proxies looking to destabilize Pakistan could take advantage of a weak border with Iran,” Khan said.
Speaking about Israel’s strategic objectives, Khan pointed out that Tel Aviv had already targeted Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, Isfahan, and other vital locations. Israel asserts that it has destroyed almost 40% of Iran’s air defense system, according to Khan.
He also claimed that Israel is pressuring the US to authorize the limited use of tactical nuclear weapons or to launch a military intervention.
Khan clarified, “They’re suggesting underground nuclear attacks, which they claim would reduce fallout.” “However, experts think that this kind of thinking is dangerously naïve.”
Regarding international responses, Khan stated that although China and Russia have expressed support for Iran, Tehran has not formally requested military aid.
