Pakistan and Saudi Arabia need to improve bilateral relations
The visit by Saudi foreign minister, the first by any Saudi dignitary in six years, is welcome. Except for brief spells of reduction in the warmth, relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have generally been close. Thousands of Pakistanis comprising semi-skilled workers, technicians and engineers have worked hard to construct the infrastructure in the brotherly country. Others have helped in the development of agriculture, provision of health facilities and strengthening the security of the Kingdom. The cooperation has been equally beneficial for Pakistan as it has provided jobs and brought in the much needed foreign exchange, helping the country maintain its balance of payments. Saudi Arabia has also helped Pakistan in the past by providing oil on deferred payment.
The relations between the two countries also have a flip side. Under both Zia and Musharraf, the governments looked the other way as the gulf rivalries were extended into Pakistan to generate a proxy war inside the country. Petrodollars were fuelled to support sectarian terrorism which has over the years taken toll of thousands of innocent lives. There is still no respite to terrorist attacks. Sectarian terrorism cannot be stopped until the gulf countries take serious measures to block the funds of the terrorist networks. Hopefully the Saudi government would play the role many expect from it in putting an end to terrorism and extremism which is affecting Muslim unity as Sartaj Aziz put it during the joint press conference with his Saudi counterpart. The litmus test of any genuine cooperation would be a halt in the attacks by networks like the LeJ and its sister organisations.
The desire for defence cooperation and mutual support for each other’s position on regional issues must not drag Pakistan into the maelstrom of gulf rivalries. If anything Pakistan needs to bring Saudi Arabia and Iran together. It must however in no case become a party to the dispute. The conflict in Syria is an internal affair of that country. It is for the government and people of Syria to resolve it without external interference. As for seeking its help in this region, Saudi Arabia had to cut off its diplomatic ties with the Taliban in sheer frustration in 2000. Many doubt if it is in a better position now to bring the Taliban to the negotiating position.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly willing to loan Pakistan as much as $5 billion. What Pakistan needs is not an addition to its heavy burden of loans but enhancement of trade and investment. Avowal of Islamic brotherhood and fraternal relations aside, while India and Saudi Arabia traded goods and services worth over $43.78 billion between them in 2012-13, Pakistani-Saudi trade didn’t exceed $5 billion. The kingdom has also invested hundreds of millions of dollars in India. Pakistan badly needs gas from Iran but Saudi Arabia and the US oppose it. Islamabad must do nothing that goes against its interests like toeing an anti-Iran policy.
