It is quite clear that we are putting our long-term interests at stake for short-term gains.
LAHORE: The recent visit of the Saudi crown prince to Pakistan and the Pakistan’s army chief’s visit to Saudi Arabia are signs that Pakistan is ending its policy of neutrality in the Middle East and following the lead of the Saudis. There have been reports that Saudi Arabia is urging Pakistan to supply anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles for the rebels in Syria. If this is indeed true, and if Pakistan agrees to this, this will be tantamount to taking sides against Iran, as it will oppose such a move on our part. I believe that following the Saudi lead in such a blatant manner will be a foreign policy blunder, as it will provide impetus to the nefarious designs of our enemies. We cannot afford such a blunder at a time when our eastern and western borders are vulnerable. On top of that, we are adding the south-western border to that list as well. Iran will not sit quietly and may join hands with our enemies to fuel proxies inside Pakistani territory. It will make Pakistan part of an absurd cold war with no end in sight.
Proponents will argue that such a policy shift is driven by economic necessities: gaining an extended credit facility for oil payments from Saudi Arabia, negotiating a favourable price for LNG import from Qatar, and selling weapons to get much-needed cash. Nonetheless, it is quite clear that we are putting our long-term interests at stake for short-term gains.
Zeeshan Riaz
Published in The Express Tribune, February 27th, 2014.
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