The visit by the Saudi Deputy Defence Minister Mohammad bin Abdullah al Aeysh comes at a time when the Kingdom remains embroiled in the ongoing war in Yemen. Its relations with Iran, Pakistan’s western neighbour, remain as chequered as they have been since the 1979 revolution.
Deepening of defence ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia must be done, if at all, on terms that suit our national interests. It goes without saying that these interests lie in cordial ties with Iran and in stability inside the country as well as in the region.
Saudi Arabia’s role in Yemen has been condemnable. It has been involved in gross human rights violations, including stopping aid from entering Yemeni territory and causing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
Pakistan also needs to assess Saudi Arabia’s track record on fanning sectarian unrest in the region. The Kingdom has been accused of funding militant groups that identified with its brand of wahhabi Islam. Such groups were actively involved in the Afghan war and in Kashmir, and their operations inside Pakistan have undermined the security and wellbeing of a sizeable Shia Muslim population. Now that the authorities in Pakistan are working to put our house in order, they must not indulge in any projects with Saudi patronage that end up undermining these efforts.
In a nutshell, Pakistan must consider its best interests for safeguarding the rights of its citizens, ridding itself of militancy, and ensuring that the fragile sectarian balance in the country does not get affected. To do so, we need to clarify the terms on which we will forge a stronger strategic relationship with Saudi Arabia in days to come. It has to be explained to the Kingdom that as an immediate neighbour, Pakistan simply cannot take sides on its ongoing tussle with Iran. *
Published in Daily Times, December 15th 2017.