Daily Times

There have been successful negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Iran mediated by China, and both countries have pledged to cooperate and announced the early restoration of diplomatic relations, severed in 2016. Reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran or restoration of diplomatic relations is also surprising for the world, because it was said that the relations between these two countries may not be at the first level. In these negotiations, mediated by China and facilitated by Pakistan, the two countries have announced the restoration of severed relations. Furthermore, the Finance Minister of Saudi Arabia has also announced that they will soon invest billions of dollars in Iran and nothing can stop them from investing in Iran. The US has played an important role in fostering bad relations between the two countries; trying utmost best to not let relations prosper. Yet, with the efforts and vision of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Muhammad bin Salman, not only were the relations re-established, but the policy of removing America from the region has begun. During the war between Ukraine and Russia, the US wanted to increase oil production in the world, but a few days ago, the Organization of the Oil Producing Countries (OPEC) announced a reduction in oil production, which is a sign for the US. Establishing world order is not that easy anymore. Here, China should also be praised for bringing together two Muslim countries that were not happy with the mere idea of shaking hands with each other for the sake of world peace. Without going into this debate about who was right and who was wrong, I would like to say that as many leading countries of the Muslim world as there are, they should forget their differences and get together for the prosperity of the Muslim world. Whether it is because of their economic interests or geographical position, they should cooperate. The West wants to maintain its dominance in the region, especially in the Middle East and South Asia. How the West wants to keep the region backwards becomes clear from the fact that the US has banned some public interest projects in the region by taking undue advantage of its superpower status. Pakistan has a gas pipeline agreement with Iran and Azerbaijan, but the US is pressuring Pakistan to distance itself from the gas pipeline project, or its global interests will be harmed.

The US has played an important role in fostering bad relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

If Pakistan does not complete this project, Iran may file a case against Pakistan in the International Court of Justice and Pakistan may have to pay a fine of eighteen billion dollars. On the other hand, Pakistan, which is facing economic difficulties, has fulfilled all the conditions of the IMF, but the IMF is still refusing to sign the agreement.

Pakistan should not miss this opportunity and become a part of the new great game that has started in the region. For this, it should play a role in the improvement of the region along with Saudi Arabia. Here, the question arises whether Pakistan can become a part of this new great game without the will of America, which is already begging for billions of dollars from the IMF. On the other hand, IMF, which is drawing lines for Pakistan, has given a loan of 15 billion dollars to Ukraine without any pre-conditions. A country whose economy has been destroyed, with a war going on, whose future is unknown, has no idea about peace being tomorrow, any business functioning tomorrow, but the IMF immediately releases 15 billion dollars. A country that is the seventh nuclear power country in the world, whose army is one of the most powerful forces in the world, whose future is secure despite the difficult economic conditions, whose political and administrative institutions are working, and is not a part of any war waits for their response. It may have been a a conspiracy of the IMF and the West to impose strict conditions all along. The rulers of Pakistan need to think and work on how we can take advantage of the major changes taking place in the region so that we can also protect our economic interests.

He writer is an old Aitchisonian who believes in freedom of expression, a freelance columnist, entrepreneur and social activist.