Why Haykal Came to Rawalpindi

Lebanese Army Chief, General Rodolphe Haykal, has visited Pakistan at the invitation of Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir. This was the first visit of a Lebanese Army Chief to Pakistan and hence significant. Lebanon is located in an important and sensitive area; I have visited this beautiful country several times. It borders Syria and Israel, has a Mediterranean coastline, and is known for its topographical diversity and confessional pluralism. Its capital Beirut has long been the center of Arab media, education and finance. A significant portion of its population has deep emotional ties to Arab causes. Currently it finds itself at the center of a geopolitical vortex.

The power-sharing system in Lebanon is a peculiar confessionalist framework wherein the Presidency is always occupied by a Maronite Christian, the role of Prime Minister goes to a Sunni Muslim and the Speaker of Parliament is invariably a Shia Muslim. This arrangement, based on a population census, dates to the French Mandate period. No fresh census has been held since then and its validity is therefore often questioned. Hezbollah, a pro-Iran Lebanese party, rose to prominence after forcing Israeli forces to withdraw from South Lebanon in 2000. It is now the target of Israeli attacks as a significant area south of the Litani River has again come under Israeli occupation.

General Haykal held delegation-level talks with Field Marshal Asim Munir at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Before the talks, he inspected a guard of honor of three forces. Field Marshal Munir came to international prominence following Pakistan’s strong performance in the Indo-Pak military clashes that lasted less than a week. His mediatory role in the current US-Iran crisis has also earned him wide recognition. It was therefore natural that alongside bilateral military cooperation, the regional security situation featured prominently in the discussions. Peace and stability in the Middle East matter vitally to the entire world, and the Gulf region’s contribution extends well beyond its energy resources.

Pakistan and Lebanon have traditionally enjoyed cordial relations and cooperated closely in international forums. Recently Pakistan strongly supported the safety and security of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon during a Security Council session. In a country caught in regional tensions, the role of peacekeepers is especially important. The internal situation in Lebanon is complex and demands careful handling. As a political party, Hezbollah is part of the government, while that same government is internationally mandated to disarm its military wing. While only the state should hold coercive power, Pakistan would be well advised to stay clear of Lebanon’s internal tensions.

In the ongoing mediation effort spearheaded by Pakistan, Iran wants Lebanon included as part of the broader negotiations whereas the US prefers to treat it as a separate track. Technically, Lebanon is an independent and sovereign entity whose will is represented by its elected government, not by any non-state actor operating from its territory. General Haykal would likely have made this argument during the bilateral talks. As a neutral mediator, Pakistan engages with governments rather than non-state actors, though it could certainly convey this message to Tehran. Ceasefire violations in Lebanon by Israel affect the broader negotiations negatively, and Israeli strikes on South Lebanon risk triggering wider confrontation between Iran and Israel, as recent events have shown.

As a neutral mediator, Pakistan engages with governments rather than non-state actors — a message it can and should convey to Tehran.

-Javed Hafeez

The very day General Haykal was due to depart for Pakistan, Israel attacked a Lebanese Army convoy. This was puzzling, given that Israel regards Hezbollah, not the Lebanese Army, as its principal adversary in Lebanon. While I do not believe in conspiracy theories, I have not been able to fathom this Israeli action. The only explanation may be that Israel regards South Lebanon as its exclusive zone of influence, in keeping with its vision of a Greater Israel.

The Lebanese government would have an interest in the capacity building of its armed forces. Pakistan has long experience training soldiers of friendly countries and Lebanon is certainly among them. However, should a request come for Pakistani military trainers to operate in Lebanon, or for a Pakistani troop contribution to an international force there, caution would be warranted. Lebanon has its own ethnic and sectarian fault lines, not unlike Pakistan’s. In line with its standing policy, Pakistan should avoid being drawn into the internal politics of that friendly nation.

Stability in the Middle East is in Pakistan’s own interest, and Lebanon is an important part of that region. This visit has come at the right moment, as the region longs for peace and Pakistan plays an increasingly pivotal role in pursuit of it.

Javed Hafeez is a former Pakistani diplomat with much experience of the Middle East. He writes weekly columns in Pakistani and Gulf newspapers and appears regularly on satellite TV channels as a defense and political analyst. X: @JavedHafiz8