Bilawal Bhutto’s Iraq visit yields little for Pakistan: Kashmir missing from joint document

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari concluded his much hyped up visit to Iraq on June 7. Since then, Islamabad which holds high stakes in its relations with Baghdad is busy describing the visit as historic. However, an examination of the outcomes reveals no significant achievement for the Pakistani diplomacy despite its persistent efforts.

Undeniably, the two sides agreed to work for promoting cooperation in several fields and signed a few MoUs on subjects like visa waiver for diplomatic and official passport holders, enhancing trade & commerce and promotion of cultural cooperation. Apart from it, a moment much publicised later was Bilawal’s attendance at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Pakistan Embassy Complex in Baghdad. However, considering Pakistan’s outsized hopes from its Foreign Minister’s visit to Iraq, progress around these minor issues appears to be just a consolation.

During the visit, Bilawal met Iraqi President Dr Abdul Latif Jamal and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani to discuss bilateral cooperation. The visiting Minister also held delegation-level talks with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein on a variety of issues, including diplomatic relations and cooperation in different sectors. Apart from it, the visiting delegation got to meet some other Iraqi leaders including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Al Halbousi and Interior Minister, Abdulamir Kamel Al-Shammari. Meetings were also held with the Iraqi Chambers of Commerce. However, in the hindsight, the frantic parleys do not appear to be much fruitful.


Considering the limited scope of MoUs signed during the visit, there was hardly an indication of a strategic uplift in Islamabad- Baghdad relations.

A consistent expectation for Pakistan during its global outreach initiatives is securing support for its stance in South Asian geopolitics. However, Pak government’s hazy description of the visit’s deliverables is a testimony to the limited success achieved on that front. Given Islamabad’s previous attempts to garner Iraq’s support on the issue of

Kashmir, an absence of its mention in the joint statement released after the visit is also telling. Iraq has long backed India on the Kashmir issue.

Baghdad’s apparent reluctance in adding strategic depth to its relations with Islamabad can also be attributed to the pitiable state of Shia Muslims in Pakistan. Despite constituting about 20 per cent of total population of Pakistan, the community is a constant target of communal hatred in the country. The Human Right Commission of Pakistan has repeatedly highlighted the poor state of the community and institutional failure to protect it from violence. It is natural for a country like Iraq which counts Shias as more than 60 per cent of its population to be concerned about this state aided repression and persecution.