ISLAMABAD:
Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Aziz Ibrahim Al-Ghadeer met with President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday, a day ahead of the president’s visit to Iran.
While an official statement only said that the ambassador discussed bilateral relations and regional affairs, the timing of the visit is made significant by the fact that it comes just ahead of the president’s trip to Tehran on Saturday (today).
Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have been strained since the 1979 Iranian revolution and have taken a turn for the worse during the recent political upheaval in the Middle East. Iran has fully supported the uprising against Bahrain’s monarch while Saudi Arabia has been concerned by the instability in its neighbourhood.
Saudi Arabia has, in the past, conveyed its concerns to Pakistan when it felt that Islamabad was drifting too close to Tehran. In recent weeks, President Zardari has quietly ignored such protests, attending an anti-terrorism summit in Tehran despite Saudi objections.
Friday’s meeting was also attended by Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who had been sent by the president to Riyadh last time where the Saudis expressed reservations about the ties between Islamabad and Tehran.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 16th, 2011.
COMMENTS (10)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Mirza: "Saudi Arabia is the main source of all terrorism in the Muslim countries. We should put SA in its place where it belongs."
That's only possible if Pakistan is a free country without domination from outside, which is not the case.
Here we go again! The mess we see today in our country - thanks to the Saudi monarchy. Saudi has only exported extremism to our motherland Pakistan. Funding a madrassa, where teaching extremism would be the main goal, is always a priority but funding a school to educate kids and get them familiarized with modern day science isn't. This is what Saudi does. Despite being the worst, llongest dictatorship and main source of extremism on face of the earth, we still listen to these nutters.
Who Pakistan befriends on international level shouldn't be Saudis concern. We Pakistanis should run our country not Saudis nor Americans for that matter. I am no fan of Iran but given a choice to choose between bad and worse, I would go for bad. Iran has never interfered with our internal affairs and has always remained a harmless neighbor. Saudi on the other hand, although thousands of kilometers away has moved Pakistan upside down.
Most of 9/11 terrorists were Saudis but yet we do not see instability in S. Arabia. We do not see Saudis suffering abroad as a result of 9/11 attacks. What we witness is Pakistanis losing their jobs and put behind bars. Now is high time for Pakistan to ask these selfish countries to leave us alone. I am very sure that running the country won't be a problem for us. We start by introducing contemporary curriculum which must be followed in schools and madrassas alike. All madrassas (especially Saudi sponsored) must register with the ministry of education. Any madrassa or mullah who refuses to follow the curriculum must be barred and their madrassas license revoked.
ah.. of course, diction from the ideal islamic country is a must for us. We must ignore the fact Saudi funding fuels the very terrorists that kill thousands in this land of the pure. We must forget that this brotherly country only offered us oil on deferred payments not in our time of need in 2008 but recently when it faced an internal threat and needed Pakistan's support. We are but slaves and will remain in search of masters forever. Jeeve jeeve pakistan
Rather than Pakistan its the Saudis who have to choose between friendship and enemity versus Iran. Once the US disengages from the region and/or the Iranians develop nukes, the Saudi monarchy will be on weak ground. Wake up Saudi Arabia and embrace your brothers in Islam ! Now is the time to kiss and make up. It would be too late when Iran gets her bomb.
Gentlemen,
Both of these countries are Muslim brotherly countries and Zardari is in a position to bring both countries closer for the benefit of all Muslims.
Pakistan should also take advantage of having positive relationship with both of these countries and should increase trade.
Persian language should also be promoted in Pakistan and Iran should be requested to support in this.
Is Pakistan a puppet of Saudis? Pakistan must seek its own benefits, hell with enemies of muslims.
Unfortunately Pakistan will have to choose between these two "true Islamic states"
That is why Pakistanies are damned against Saudi interference in Pakistan's internal affairs. How Pakistan wants to build relations with its neighbours is none of Saudi's business. After reading what has been written on Saudi's Bahrain invasion, it looks like Saudis are too much scared of the tremblling monarchy whose days are numberd.
Saudi Arabia is the main source of all terrorism in the Muslim countries. They have only given miseries to Pakistan and its poor citizens. If it were not the cheap labor, they would not even talk to Pakistanis. They should not be given any importance. We should buy petrol, gas and other goods from a country who gives us the best terms. In trade no favors, just business. We should put SA in its place where it belongs.