APROPOS the editorial ‘FATF’s unwelcome action’ (June 29). No one has mentioned the negative role played by Saudi Arabia — ostensibly our staunchest ally and benefactor — in Pakistan’s being officially placed on the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering for the perceived failure to curb terror financing on its soil.

In the February meeting of the 37-member FATF, three countries — Saudi Arabia, China and Turkey — opposed the US-led move against Pakistan. But in an unprecedented second discussion Riyadh gave up its opposition in return for full FATF membership. This left only two countries supporting Pakistan, one less than the required number of three members to stall a move. At this stage China opted out, because, as they explained, they did not want to “lose face by supporting a move that’s doomed to fail.”

Why then are we sacrificing our long-term economic interests involving Iran for the sake of Saudi Arabia – such as the overland gas pipeline from Iran, which is a cheaper and logistically more convenient alternative to LNG from Qatar? Ironically, it is Saudi Arabia that has been the largest and most active financier and promoter of sectarianism and armed militancy in Muslim countries often used as proxy battlegrounds against Iran.

Earlier in the eighties Saudi Arabia funded the so-called mujahideen who have since metamorphosed into the Taliban, and are the nemesis of the Western powers today.

The Al-Nusra which later transformed into the militant Islamic State group were also heavily armed and bankrolled by the Saudis to destabilise pro-Iran governments. Meanwhile, the Saudis have formed an unholy alliance with the arch-enemy of Muslims, the Zionists, to confront Iran, an arrangement which the USA overtly favours.

If the Saudis can abandon us in our hour of need, why should we continue to turn the other cheek?

Asad Siddiqi

Lahore

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2018