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PrintTHE caution that the Pakistani leadership, both political and military, has demonstrated in the midst of the alarming escalation in tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran has been relatively reassuring.
Following Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir’s visit to Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the Prime Minister’s Office put out a now familiar-sounding statement expressing support for the Saudi people and pledging to help protect Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. While the Saudi leadership is presumably unimpressed by such seemingly bland statements, it is correct that Pakistan follow this course of moderation.
Where Pakistan and Saudi Arabia can find avenues for cooperation, particularly in the counterterrorism arena, that cooperation should be diligently and effectively pursued.
Where there is a diplomatic and political cost in terms of Pakistan’s other relationships and its own national interests, political and military officials must act with great caution and after thorough deliberation. Gone are the days where private assurances could contradict public statements.
Part of the reason for caution is that the Pakistani relationship with Saudi Arabia goes beyond the ties to a particular ruler and the choices his deputies make. Seen from afar, not all of the present Saudi leadership’s choices appear to be in that country’s own interests.
Fear, more than bold leadership, appears to be shaping Saudi Arabia’s decisions in recent times. For example, it is fairly evident that the mass executions at the start of the year have caused Saudi Arabia a great deal more trouble internally and regionally than whatever gains the regime was hoping to make.
Yet, precisely because the Saudi leadership is sensing such acute danger to itself and its country, there is a need for Saudi Arabia’s allies to act with empathy.
Only long-term allies and friends stand any chance of nudging Saudi policy towards stabilising the Middle East and Gulf countries instead of drifting towards ruinous confrontation. The Pakistani approach of frequent and high-level discussions with the Saudi leadership is a sensible one — with immediate breakthroughs unlikely, patient diplomacy is the only meaningful alternative.
Where the Pakistani approach does need to be shored up though is in the outreach to Iran. Necessary and vital as the ties with Saudi Arabia are, Iran is an important neighbour possibly on the verge of an economic breakout and with influence in Afghanistan and old ties to Pakistan.
Closer cooperation with Iran on a mutually beneficial basis would not only be in Pakistan’s economic and regional interest, it would also help serve as an important example that ties with Iran and Saudi Arabia need not be a zero-sum game.
Moreover, closer cooperation with Iran could potentially offer a reliable and trusted channel of communication between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Pakistani officialdom has long touted the geostrategic importance of this country; in fact, geopolitical relevance is there for the taking — if creative, sensible and courageous diplomacy is practised.
Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2016
Comments (21) Closed
There is no place for a king in twenty first century.
Pakistan should treat Iran and Saudi Arabia on equal footing. Historical and traditional relationships, with both the countries, outweighs financial help.
This is a very sensitive matter. Pakistan need to be very careful in this situation.
No beating around the bush.. Saudi wants our soldiers for combat at field.. Some facts/secrets will never come to public notice in the country..
@Jalaluddin S. Hussain : Treat Saudi and Iran on equal footing ? They both will be very disappointed. Both will say either you are with us or against us. Nothing in between.
One point is missing and that is Iran is not that innocent as well. Iran has also played double game when it comes to Afghanistan. They also have a friend foe relation with USA. Moreover with Chahbar on the table they have their own interests vis a vis Gwader . What ever choice we made we have to find the best interest of Pakistan
Pakistani leadership must do maximum homework while sketching policy response to the emerging challange at the face of Soudi-Iran diplomatic war. Both of them are our friend and we cannot side blindly with any one or leave other completely. Maintaining good relations with both is in our best, so we must not jump into one camp, rather we should do extensive mutual consultation, taking into all political, parties and middle eastern experts into confidence. We policy should reflect our long term national interest and must have solid footing. Personal affiliations, sectarian based policy cannot serve our interest.
The Americans will be displeased if we outright reject the Saudis, as it will upset their middle-east concerns. At the same time, the Americans are improving their relationship with Iran and they wouldn't want us to provoke the Ayatollahs by being too open about supporting Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have also bankrolled our economy for decade and there has been an unwritten understanding of a tit for tat, from which we can't back out. After all under Zia our men have fought for the kingdom. We should act in such a way that please America, Iran and Saudia. We can't afford to rub any them the wrong way. The best strategy would be the time-tested one of saying what is needed to please public opinion and secretly doing what needs to be done to placate the Saudis.
@Frankenstein
Even if we assume that Iran has its own interests at heart we also know that they have not been channelizing resources to the extremist elements inside Pakistan resulting in the terrorism threat we face today...
Iran and Pakistan can complement each other in a lot of areas particularly because of the geographic proximity and a shared interest in genuinely fighting terrorists and extremists like Daish, Taliban and the like...
Moreover, the level of sophistication and culture in Iranian society and leadership is a factor that even American leaders like Kerry attest to...if we can in some way convince the Iranians that this partnership should not be seen as a zero-sum game...
@Malish khan it is not for you to decide. What should be form of government in Saudi Arabia is Something that the Saudis will eventually sort out.
@بازیچه اطفال Iran and Saudi Arabia are the biggest donors to our religious seminaries. There are no saints in this game! Please
"Patient diplomacy" is the only meaningful alternative.
Easier said than done. It's pretty hard to strike a balancing act in Pakistan's relations between the two arch-rival countries.
@Jamal Very cowardly suggestion....speak for truth even if it hurts you....
remember we cannot change geography and Iran is our next door neighbor. Iran is most culturally closer to us than Saudia which is a tribal society....we have over 1000 years of cultural influence from Iran ....all Kings and Sultan in India spoke Persian and architecture is all from Persia....
@Ghaznavi How will Saudis sort out type of government they want, if they have no freedom of expression?
No doubt, every time, when animosity between saudi Arabia and Iran has got escalated particularly along sectarian lines, including the ongoing diplomatic spate over execution of a shia cleric by sauds, Pakistan's foreign policy section have been in great trouble in maintaining an equilibrium by not taking any side in disputes. Particularly, one could easily point out that given the multi-sect religious landscape,with each having considerable number of followers, pledging allegiance with any of the rival would be disastrous for our domestic order and flame already heated sectarian and communal violence. hence, withstanding of these consideration and increasingly rational diplomatic and multilateral norms, somehow, Pak has managed to stay away from taking sides and directly indulging in conflicts in recent times, diplomaticaly as well as militarily, atleast ecplicitly.
Pakistan will entangled in both the cases either help to any one or to be a judge between them. Pakistan should remain out of this quarrel and must remain continue to ressolve their own issues.
ISIS is on the back foot on each and every front....their disintegration is matter of days or weeks.....it will come faster than we imagine.
The new army arranged by the Saudis in panic what are they supposed to accomplish?
And will Russia accept that? My 64 dollar question.
No Sunnis no Shiats this is 21st century where the countries protect their national interesr ...Saudis are safegaurding their kingship while Iranis are protecting their theocracy. Neither of these two countries are pomoting the interest of Muslim Ummah nor of Sunnis or Shias. So Pakistan must act wisely in this war of regional supermacy by these two muslim countries
A very old and tested saying is, "You cannot change neighbors". With an aggressive neighbor on the East, it is ideal to have other frontiers with friendly neighbors. Iran can be beneficial in plenty of ways: a) Friendly Western borders b) Improvement in relations with another neighbor, Afghanistan c) Improvement in relations with India (rather than the USA) d) Reaching out to Europe by road and rail network e) Fight against terrorism f) Lessons of self-reliant in worst international sanctions. And more.
What is there to think?
We create our own problems then go about solving what we created.....
From Delhi Sultans to the Mughal Period and after.....Persia (Iran) has had friendship with us and our relationship with them is as old as our geography.All Muslim rulersin India got their inspiration for administration and culture received it from Persia. Some comments may twist this fact but this is the truth.
With Saudia our friendship dates from the 1980 s....I say:
What is there to think?