The Role of Islamic Ideology in Iran-Pakistan Relations from 1947 to 1979

Abstract

Ideology is an important determinant in foreign policy.However, it has its implications. Pahlavi Shah's Westernization policies and their dissociation with Islamic ideology were the main features of their rule. The early leadership of Pakistan and Iran(Muhammad Reza Shah) were secular in outlook, paid little attention to ideology and had shared interests. While in Pakistan, the religious identity and its liberal national identity are still debated, and Pakistan has to reconcile between the two competing points of view. The Islamic revolution was unique in character as the earlier resolutions in the world were predominantly secular, while in Iran, it had religious trappings. The intellectuals in Iran like Jalal Al-Ahmed, Shariati, and all shades of parties played a significant role in inciting the people for the revolution. In South Asia, Allama Iqbal, Jamal ud-din Afghani, and Maulana Maududi influenced the people for Pan-Islamism and a utopian Islamic society. The after math of the Iranian revolution were grim, and people at the helm of affairs at the time of Shah were either executed or left the country for good. The relations between Zia ul-Haq and Khomeini, two proponents of Islamic ideology, were not good. Zia combined the elements of Islamism with pragmatism, while Khomeini was more radical and committed to its ideology.