Pakistan’s military and civilian leaders must have known Saudi Arabia’s views on the recent thawing of relations with India. As for the UAE’s role in backchannel mediations – this could not happen without the approval and support of the latter’s patron and key ally, Saudi Arabia
Based on the above dynamics, it can be concluded that Pakistan still considers Saudi Arabia a strategic ally and may not be able to completely deviate from Riyadh’s influence, while the two sides have not changed their policies on strategic issues. However, they now seem ready to ‘reset’ their bilateral relationship.
The writer holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. He is affiliated with the Department of International Relations, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan and can be contacted at [email protected]