Salahuddin Haider
MILITARY diplomacy has often come to rescue of the Pakistani civilian side, and is once again on a delicate mission to mend fences with Saudi Arabia. Whether army chief General Qamar Bajwa, and ISI chief Lt-General Faiz Hameed have been able to do that, will be known in a couple of days, but from the honour guard, presented to Qamar Bajwa on his arrival at Riyadh’s defence establishment, and the respect he was shown during meetings with Saudi counterpart General Fayyaz Hamid, and his second in command Lt-General Turki do indicate that resolution of issues could very well be possible. Reason to conclude that is simple.
Some unguarded comment from foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in a TV interview about request to Saudis for summoning of OIC session on Kashmir was not well received. He then went on to say that he will request Prime Minister Imran Khan to summon even a group of OIC members to condemn Indian annexation of Occupied Kashmir into Indian Union, did create some misunderstanding. In between that or shortly before that came the UAE recognition of Israel (obviously under American Pressure), but Saudi Arabia refrained from any unwarranted comment.
In fact the Saudi Ambassador in Islamabad, became suddenly active, meeting Punjab governor Chaudhri Ghualm Sarwar, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, and Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, which is enough evidence that Saudi Arabia linked to Pakistan in fraternal bonds, and supporters of each other in times of difficulty, was cautious, and keen on righting the wrong. Analysed dispassionately, this does indicate a triangular tight-rope walking, for Bajwa’s visit to Riyadh is being keenly watched by Iran, Turkey, Qatar and others, even America.
Extreme caution, therefore has, to be watchword. Imran Khan has gone on record to emphasise that he was trying hard to remove differences between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Whether he is also active behind scene for raproachment between USA and Iran is not known, but his role in bringing taliban and Afghan government on one page to ensure lasting peace in the region has been publicly acknowledged by State Department spokesman. Straws in the wind could be many, but all kinds of philosophies and expectations are aired on private televisions that Pakistan would care little about Royad.
It is true though Saudi Arabia demanded return of its one billion dollar deposit from Pakistan has been delivered/ But till such time Iran. USA tensions relaxed and sanctions lifted from Iran, Pakistan would find it hard to look for gas and oil supplies from Iran. It is therefore a genuine tight-roping talking. Islamabad has to take every step carefully and after serious calculations. Social media,known for its unreliability, can not be taken seriously. But changes in geo-political situation will necessarily have to kept in mind all the time. An interesting article has appeared in Arab News from an eminent Saudi diplomat Ali Abbas Aseeri who served as Sadui ambassador to Pakistan for 12 years, before going to Lebanon. He does took exception to Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s remarks, but made it crystal clear that Pak-Saudi relationship was rock solid, and though some misunderstanding has emerged for the time being, but it is not going to have lasting impression.
Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have been helping each other, and Pakistan had also sent some 15000 troops to defence Saudi Arabia in Yemen conflict. Former army chief General Raheel Sharif’s services were hired to head a 41-country army in case a problem really arose. The Arab News Article can be treated as unofficial Saudi reaction to Qureshi’s ill-time, unwanted comments. In the absence of any official word from Riyadh, it is hard to reach correct conclusions, but simultaneously Arab News article could neither be ignored. Saudi media publishes only what the government wants.
Seen in the backdrop, the article from Aseeri could be taken as relaxing. However Royal Saudi family’s comments would be the clear indicator. It has kept quite so far which should be enough indicators that Riyadh does not want to turn the water murkier. As for Pakistan’s response towards Israel, foreign office explanation has already been clearly stated.
It spoke of Palestinian rights, and Indian barbarism in Occupied Kashmir, where 80 million souls are still in world’s biggest open jail, not allowed to go out for over a year now. The Muslim world must take notice of that. Pakistan’s stance on the subject is 200 percent correct. Only UAE, Egypt and Jordan have recognized Israel so far. Pakistan has to wait for OIC declaration on the subject, a session, attended by Saudi Arabi also.
