They have helped us in our hour of need
Yemen has been all the rage in Pakistan since the Saudi request for help. Initially it seemed that the government had already committed, and political consultations, including the joint session of parliament, were meant merely for public consumption. This opinion was strengthened when PPP threw its lot behind the government initiative to participate. But then PTI came out strongly against the proposal. And then even some from the religious-right, like JUI-F, warned against taking part.
The whole thing unravelled in the joint session, of course, when Aitzaz Ahsan and Farhatullah Babar literally rolled back the party’s previous position, just like Mushahid Hussain effectively undid the Chaudhrys’ earlier stance. Yet not all are convinced that the matter is over. And not many doubt that Nawaz, and his kitchen cabinet, was all for entertaining the Saudi request.
The Saudis, no doubt, will be unhappy and much is still at stake. Riyadh has helped Pakistan, both diplomatically and financially, on numerous occasions. It houses millions of Pakistani expats. And, more importantly, it literally controls thousands of madrassas spread across Pakistan, which means it can exercise its leverage in many ways.
Of course, it also has its share of sympathisers and lobbyists, and it will be interesting how they go active from here. An important part of the reaction now seems to concentrate on the purpose behind seeking Pakistani forces in the first place, and certain details seem to contradict earlier demands.
To make things clearer, DNA talked to former Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani. He is the chairman of the Saudi-Pak forum, and runs a prominent NGO in his South Punjab Bahawalpur area – which owes its functioning, in large part, to Saudi funding. He is also very close to the Saudi embassy, and therefore well informed about the Saudi position.
Question: How do you think the government has handled the Saudi request for military help so far? Do you think the joint session helped in making the government realise the sensitivity of the matter?
Muhammad Durrani: As far as the request by Saudi Arabia seeking Pakistani troops and military equipment is concerned, I think this matter has been grossly mishandled by Pakistan. This is one of the worst diplomatic failures Pakistan has ever seen. It reflects a total collapse between the state institutions.
Especially, Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif has to be blamed first for his reckless statement made during the joint session of the parliament as the worthy minister not only misrepresented the facts but he also misled parliament.
Due to the decreasing oil prices, the almost 50 percent of the shale gas wells of US have closed down as shale is no more financially viable. One can imagine that the US is behind the destabilisation in the backyard of Saudi Arabia as the kingdom has refused to bow down to its dictates
In the first place, the minister should not have openly talked about a sensitive diplomatic communiqué. Secondly, if he had to make a statement, the minister should have also informed the parliamentarians for which purpose the Saudi authorities had sought assistance? But he did not elaborate on the purpose of military assistance, leaving a false impression as if the Saudi Arabian government had sought military assistance for Yemen.
Let me make it clear once and for all that Saudi Arabia only sought assistance for safeguarding its own territory from rebel militias bent upon destabilising the entire Arab region.
Rather, the diplomatic request was actually for extending assistance to a brotherly country, which was facing threats on its borders where armed militias are fighting for control on whims of regional powers, pushing the whole region towards a civil war as was the case in Libya, Syria and Iraq.
I know that the US is concerned about the fact that Saudi Arabia, as become the major player in the oil market, has been decreasing the oil price despite strong resistance from the US and other oil producing countries.
Due to the decreasing oil prices, the almost 50 percent of the shale gas wells of US have closed down as shale is no more financially viable. One can imagine that the US is behind the destabilisation in the backyard of Saudi Arabia as the kingdom has refused to bow down to its dictates.
Moreover, Pakistan army has always been ready to protect and stabilise any state as peacekeepers. So it was not a big deal for Pakistani troops to go and protect the holy places of Makkah and Madina, which are sacred for all the Muslims across the globe.
Moreover, the relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are strategic by all means. Saudi Arabia has always helped Pakistan whenever we needed assistance. It’s no secret anymore that Saudi Arabia provided lucrative funds to help Pakistan’s nuclear program. Saudis also provided generous funds whenever natural calamities like floods, earthquakes or famines hit Pakistan.
When we conducted nuclear tests in 1998 and Pakistan was clamped by UN sanctions, it was Saudi Arabia who helped us. Saudi Arabia also provided quietly millions of tons of oil free of cost when we were facing financial problems.
Moreover, Saudi Arabia again helped us with a gift of US$1.5 billion when we were starving and had nothing to pay instalments for foreign loans.
Q: Don’t you feel that parliament is losing its effectiveness as a forum? The prime minister does not take it seriously till there is a threat to his government or an outside matter, like Yemen, needs to be resolved.
MD: Yes, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should fulfil all commitments made to the Saudi Arabian government either in official meetings or the commitments made on phone. Because the official commitments made by the prime minister are actually state commitments which are to be fulfilled at all costs. Moreover, the recent sequence of the events is enough to prove that the government is losing its effectiveness. Let’s come to the joint session of the parliament over military assistance to Saudi Arabia. In the first place, this matter should not have been taken to parliament. Rather, the people voted the ruling party into government to make critical decisions. Moreover, the defence minister jeopardised the diplomatic relations between the time-tested friends by misinforming parliament over the subject matter.
According to Khawaja Asif, Saudi Arabia had sought air jets, navy vessels and ground troops from Pakistan. Why did the minister not inform parliament that Saudi Arabia had sought assistance for safeguarding its own territory and not for any other country?
The minister’s statement seemed to be naive. No one dares spell out details of diplomatic communications on live media. The statement by the minister had left the Saudi Arabia government furious.
It seemed the move was planned as the PML-N government wanted to embarrass KSA. Moreover, the foreign office also looked non-existent or paralysed while no intervention either by the prime minister or the foreign ministry was made to put in place the wrong statement by the defence minister.
The prime minister looked confused over the Saudi request from day-one. For instance, the claims made by the prime minister to involve the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic States (OIC) to help resolve the Yemen crisis reflected he had no clue how to deal with the matter
The language used by Khawaja Asif, while making a statement in the joint session of parliament, was not only derogatory but it was in violation of diplomatic norms. The minister also did not cater to the sensitivities involved in the relations between the two countries.
Due to immature handling of the matter, the parliamentarians and media got the impression that Yemen crisis was a sectarian issue and the assistance sought by Saudi Arabia was also linked to the same which was totally a false impression and had no legs to stand on.
But the prime minister looked confused over the Saudi request from day-one. For instance, the claims made by the prime minister to involve the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic States (OIC) to help resolve the Yemen crisis reflected he had no clue how to deal with the matter.
Now, for those who are talking about legitimacy issues, let me ask whenever Pakistan sought assistance from Saudi Arabia, did the kingdom ever raise legitimacy questions? Was the covert financial assistance to Pakistan’s nuclear program under any international law?
So when the kingdom always came forward to help Pakistan in its crunch times, Pakistan should have repaid in the same spirit like a true friend. However, by ditching a friend at a critical time, the Saudi Arabian government may feel they have been betrayed by a friendly nation.
Moreover, it is not merely a matter between two friendly states, it’s also a matter of economic interests, not only for the state of Pakistan but also for around two million families who are connected to Saudi Arabia.
Millions of Pakistanis are working in the kingdom and many are the sole bread-earners for their respective families. These expatriates also send around US$5 billion every year.
Q: Can Pakistan play a role in bringing KSA and Iran closer?
MD: If Pakistan aims at further strengthening of relations with its neighbours, it should concentrate on inter-state dependencies. Under the same strategy, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should start construction work on the Iran-Pakistan pipeline, which would not only benefit Pakistan but it may also benefit the entire region. Moreover, it would also help remove any misunderstanding between Pakistan and Iran. It would also enable Nawaz Sharif to play a role to bring Saudi Arabia and Iran closer. Pakistan should also facilitate the Iran government over border issues which are a major thorn in Pakistan-Iran relations.
Pakistan should also help Iran in controlling the cross-border movement of terrorist elements. Both countries may also work together to counter the illegal trade by formalising it, which would help increase the volume of bilateral trade besides and bringing an end to smuggling. It would also help curb terrorism.
