“Pakistan is an immediate neighbour of Iran. In case of hostilities or military action against that country, it can be very useful,” Srivastava said. He pointed to a statement made last month by US CENTCOM Chief General Erik Kurilla calling Pakistan a “useful ally” in the fight against terrorism. Srivastava questioned the timing and logic of that statement, noting that no major terror figures have been captured recently and that the US exited Afghanistan four years ago.
Srivastava also linked recent IMF assistance to Pakistan to this shifting strategic calculus. “In the midst of Operation Sindoor, the IMF announced a fresh commitment of $1.5 billion to Pakistan under the Climate Resilience Fund,” he said, adding that this was in addition to the $1 billion already released under a previous agreement. “This was not exactly a good signal to a country indulging in terrorism. But the current situation in Iran, if you work backwards, explains this generosity.”He pointed out that Pakistan shut its border with Iran on June 15, a day after the Israel-Iran war began. “Pakistan has already delivered,” he said, suggesting this may have been part of a pre-negotiated role. Drawing a historical parallel, he recalled that in 1965, Iran under the Shah had provided air support to Pakistan. “Today, Pakistan has closed the doors shut in Iran’s face,” he added, calling it a reversal that “has to be paid for.”
On the question of General Munir’s ideology, Srivastava said that Pakistan’s military doctrine is still shaped by religious ideology. He referenced a book by Brigadier Malik, with a foreword by General Zia-ul-Haq, which states that “terror is not a means to achieve an end—terror is an end in itself.” Srivastava said this thinking continues to influence Pakistan’s leadership.
He noted that in an April 16 speech, just days before the Pahalgam terror attack, General Munir reiterated Pakistan’s claim that Kashmir is its “jugular vein,” cited the two-nation theory, and rejected any separatist ambitions in Balochistan. Munir also described Israel as a “Zionist state,” linking Pakistan’s worldview to broader Islamic causes.
Srivastava concluded that the ideological posture of General Munir, combined with Pakistan’s shifting alignment in West Asia, signals a deeper game being played in the region. “Obviously, the current context playing out in West Asia is a pointer of things to come,” he said.
Watch accompanying video for entire conversation.
