Editorial

Testing times

In worsening Saudi-Iran relations, a modicum of vagueness and a soupcon of ambiguity are the default position today

Editorial January 07, 2016

Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz welcoming the Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed al Jubeir at Nur Khan Air Base, Islamabad. PHOTO: PID

The ongoing diplomatic row between Saudi Arabia and Iran triggered by the execution of Sheikh Nimr al Nimr has worsened. The Pakistan government has come under fire from the opposition for having a “vague and ambiguous policy” on the matter — which is a position closely resembled by other states that have a close relationship with Saudi Arabia, including the US, the UK and most of the states of the European Union. After Saudi Arabia broke off diplomatic ties with Iran following the burning of its embassy in Tehran, Bahrain, Sudan and Kuwait also decided to display their loyalties to the former by the diplomatic isolation of Iran.

No state that has any sort of relationship with Saudi Arabia, be it ideological or trading, but which is not part of the ‘Arab world’ — and Pakistan is most definitely not — is in anything other than a quandary in how to deal with the situation. There are high levels of dependence stretching back to the 1920s between the Western nations that sponsored the formation of Saudi Arabia, and themselves. Due to this, collective blind eyes have been turned for decades when it comes to civil rights or the rights — or lack of them — of women in the kingdom.

Now with a worsening of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran that were ever taut, Pakistan is in the same bind as other clients of Saudi hospitality and largesse. Pakistan has no desire to alienate Saudi Arabia, a country that has bailed it out on numerous occasions, but at the same time the realpolitik of its ever closer alignment with Iran, China and even India mean that a modicum of vagueness and a soupcon of ambiguity are the default position today. Both served us well when it came to involvement in the war in Yemen when we resisted the clarion call from Saudi Arabia to join the fight. They will serve us well again as this toxic pot bubbles, and that is what both the government and the opposition must realise.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2016.

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COMMENTS (2)

S.R.H. Hashmi | 8 years ago | Reply Being the only nuclear power in the Muslim world, and having formidable armed forces, and due to proximity to the region having most Muslims states with adjoining borders, Pakistan should have been a leader of the Muslim world. And in that capacity, it should have been advising the warring Muslim states, telling them where they went wrong and working actively to reduce tensions between them by guaranteeing their territorial integrity and thus removing their fear-based hostility towards each other. In fact, despite his many weaknesses, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had achieved that status for Pakistan at a time when Pakistan was not even that strong. However, the present mediocre, municipal committee-level leadership in Pakistan, which has had the status of national-level leadership thrust on it, could hardly be expected to play a role which is very much beyond its capacity. And last time when Saudi Arabia requested military help in connection with Yemen, this immature leadership, and even more immature opposition, using emotions and mouth more than their brains – or whatever they had by that description – made some statements which annoyed our allies and invited rebuke from some of them. Which means that sorts of announcement was definitely out. And due to its many shortcomings, Pakistani leadership is unable to play a role worthy of its status, telling Saudi Arabia and Iran of their mis-steps, and working as a peace-maker between them. And committing unconditionally to Saudi Arabia would not only be wrongly but also unwise because of a large Shia population within the country, and with major Shia state Iran, right next door. So, considering all circumstances of the case, including our major problem, which is the leadership deficit, keeping certain degree of vagueness in our policy was the only possible option which is what the government has taken. So what is all this howling and shouting by an even more immature crowd all about? Karachi

Toti calling | 8 years ago | Reply I THINK PAKISTAN SHOULD BE EXTRA CAREFUL NOT TO ANNOY SAUDIS AS THEY HAVE BAILED PAKISTAN OUT MANY A TIME. BUT THE FACT IS THE FAULT LIES WITH SAUDIS AND NOT IRAN IN THIS CASE.IT IS TRUE IRAN IS RULED N´BY MULLAHS, BUT IT IS MUCH MORE MODERATE AND MORE DEMOCRATIC THAN SAUDI ARTABIA. IN. IRAN WE SEE CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT EVERY 4 YEARS. IT ALSO ALLOWS OTHER FAITHS TO PRATICVE THEIR FAITH, INCLUDING JEWS WHO OPTED TO REMAIN IN IRAN, WHICH IS MOT THE CASE WITH SAUDI ARABIA. TESTING TIMES INDEED.

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