Daily Times

Whether Sharifs fish in troubled water or not after meeting with Saudi Royal family, New Year has set the tone of Pakistan foreign policy in favour of Saudi Arab dwarfing role of other key players especially Iran in the region.

National interest has once again taken backseat and individual benefits reign supreme in the country that remains victim of deals brokered between influential. Underpinned by official appointment of former COAS Raheel Sharif as head of Saudi-led Islamic Counter-Terrorism Alliance, Sharif brothers’ parley to King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman has toned up anchoring position of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan’s politics and its strategic policies for Middle East.

Insiders in diplomatic circles spill the beans that there is ‘do-or-die’ situation for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif who still rules as de facto prime minister and his brother Shahbaz Sharif, nominee of Prime Minister in coming elections 2018. To get rescued from legal and corruption cases and maintain good relations with the army, they are hell-bent on seeking Saudi Arabia’s sway heavily embedded in judicial, religious, political and military realms. In case any bargain is traded, Pakistan has to secure Saudi Arabia’s strategic leverages compromising Pakistan’s national interests.

Underpinned by official appointment of former COAS Raheel Sharif as head of the Saudi-led Islamic Counter-Terrorism Alliance, Sharif brothers’ parley with King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman has toned up anchoring position of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan’s politics and its strategic policies for Middle East

“After putting all eggs into Saudi Arabia’s pocket already, now what is left to be seen is at what cost Pakistan’s Middle East policy will be sold during Sharifs-Saudi accord,” insiders reveal.

Much hyped perception is abuzz that given the scenario, Pakistan will tilt balance in advantages of Saudi Arabia in the conflicting issues of Yemen, Syria and Iran reverting its stance to stay neutral. This will be precursor of new emerging strategic dynamics in the region.

The Sharifs’ step to promote Saudi Arabia and help it deactivate the Iran factor will cause insurmountable repercussions for Pakistan. It is going to take effect as PML-N government since 2013 till date has never tried to open new windows of Pak-Iran ties. Instead of normalising relations with Iran, Sharifs fuelled the issue of Iran-India nexus through the lens of Chabahar port, Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav’s arrest from Iran border, threats of cross-border strikes by Iran, Saudi-led military alliance, Pak-Iran gas pipeline project.

Diplomats are of the opinions that Sharifs also want to use Saudi-Trump nexus under the proposed deal to normalise ties with the US. Military establishment will endorse this strategy as it will reduce the pressure of ‘do more’ by Pentagon and its allies.

Chances of deal are high likely in the light of past experience. Bilateral ties between two Islamic countries, except on some occasions, are bolstering. Since 1947, both cherish commercial, cultural, religious, political, and strategic bond. As per a Pew Research Centre survey, 95 per cent of people in Pakistan think highly of Saudi Arabia. Both favoured each other in tough times. Saudi Arabia often gifted oil and other while Pakistan played its role by ending the Grand Mosque Seizure in 1979 and helped restored Saudi rule over the Masjid al-Haram.

Saudi Arabia administration rescued Nawaz Sharif when he was toppled in 1999 and provided royal treatment to him during his exile in Saudi Arabia. Holy Kingdom granted $ 1.5 billion to Pakistan in 2014. Saudi Arabia raised voice in favour of Pakistan on the creation of Bangladesh. It is also vocal on Kashmir dispute. After Pakistan tested atomic bomb, Saudi Arabia backed Pakistan and vowed to provide 50,000 barrels per day of free oil to help Pakistan deal with likely economic embargos.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the effect of Sharif-Saudi pact does not harm Pakistan’s internal stability. If again individual interests take front seat and national interest is thrown to back burner, 2018 will not dawn era of a strong Pakistan.

The writer is a senior journalist working for China Radio International Online, China Plus and China Today. He writes for local and international media on diplomacy, international relations and governance. He is a fellow of ICFJ and a recipient of China friendly Netizen 2017 award. He can be reached at yaseerkhan@hotmail.com and tweets at @yasirkhann

Published in Daily Times, January 3^rd 2018.