Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi have concluded their successful and momentous visit of Saudi Arabia. Their meetings with Saudi Crown Prince and the First Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud have drawn a new map of Pak-Saudi relations; a long-lasting relationship although it went through lulls and a turbulent phase in the recent past.
Available information suggests that the Agreement on Establishing Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council is one of the most important outcomes of this new phase of the diplomatic initiative.
After the first meeting between US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev on November 19 and 20, 1985 at Geneva Switzerland, every journalist was anxiously waiting for a joint press conference or communique after this Geneva Summit concluded. The US spokesman came on the rostrum and informed that no joint briefing would be held about the meeting. Some journalists present there commented that the US media was releasing some pointers indicating that the Afghanistan War issue had been decided in the meeting, but they (journalists) are (were) waiting for an official briefing or communique. In response to these queries, the US spokesman passed a historic statement that is a guideline for those who have interests in diplomacy, international affairs, and foreign affairs. While referring to the outcome of the meeting he said that “Those who know, will not talk and those who do not know, will talk.
This ever-green statement indicates that the true outcome of such high-level meetings that took place in Riyadh might not come out of doors and one should not be judgmental about the new roadmap of Pak-Saudi relations.
Official statements issued by all stakeholders are standard, indicating that leaders of both countries would work closely to enhance, trade, tourism, economic, military-to-military relations, Saudi investments in Pakistan and matters of mutual interest, regional security situation including recent developments in the Afghan peace process, bilateral defence, security, collaboration for regional peace and connectivity were discussed.
There is no doubt that energy, economy, and welfare of overseas Pakistanis were top on the agenda of meetings, but the most important indicator is that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are moving to a geo-economic relationship after regaining their geostrategic relationships.
Dr Ali Awadh Asseri served as Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Pakistan from 2001 to 2009 and received Pakistan’s highest civilian award, Hilal-e-Pakistan, for his services in promoting the Saudi-Pakistan relationship in his recent article “Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are back on track” published in Arab News. This indicates that for the first time, the Kingdom was interested in the long-term economic development of Pakistan. He mentioned that “this promising moment in Saudi-Pakistan ties is occurring amid a favourable turnaround in regional geopolitics, marked by the Saudi olive branch to Iran, the end of the Qatar crisis, and the India-Pakistan ceasefire in Kashmir”.
China-Iran’s new of investment worth $400 billion along with an announcement of China-Iran Strategic Cooperation have changed the dynamics of the region because China has economic relations with almost all the Middle East member’s states and its economic presence at the Strait of Hormuz draws lines for many for dos and don’ts. While President Biden has categorically said that the Middle East is no more the top priority of US foreign policy although it would be important for the US.
In a changing scenario, Saudi Arabia can bank on historic and long-lasting friends like Pakistan because global politics is tilting to geo-economic issues rather than merely politically strategic issues.
The arrival of COAS Gen Qamar Bajwa to Riyadh a day before Prime Minister Khan definitely helped to smooth the road of talks since recklessness shown by our politicians in the past regarding the Pak-Saudi relationship was of course a bitter taste for the Saudi leadership. Saudi Arabia has never asked to design our foreign policy towards Iran then why should we comment on Saudi relations with other South Asian countries? Every country has the right to execute its foreign policy according to its interests and realities.
The Pak-Saudi military relationship is very important for Saudi Arabia, which had been one of the top five weapon buyers in the world in the recent past and understands that the training offered by Pakistan Army is the best because our Army is an expert of training for any kind of weaponry as we possess Russian-made, Chinese-made, US-made and UK-made weapons.
Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations are now sailing in the calm sea and the lesson we learnt is that we should be careful to pass diplomatic judgements about our all-time friends in the future.
Winston Churchill says that “the reason for having diplomatic relations is not to confer a compliment but to secure a convenience.”