Saudi Arabia or Qatar: Pakistan's dilemma
The problem for the Nawaz government is that the Sharifs have a close relation with both countries.
(Web Desk) - Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Maldives, Yemen and United Arab Emirates have cut off their diplomatic ties with Qatar. This move by Saudi Arabia and its allies has put Pakistan in a difficult position with regards to the regional politics of Middle East.
According to experts, tensions between the Arab gulf states and Iran will not only have an effect on the Middle East, but the fallout from these diplomatic tensions will also affect South Asia.
Analysts are saying that the current scenario portrays the fact that apart from Tehran, Doha has also started opposing the policies of Riyadh. According to Preston University s professor of International Relations Dr Iman Memon, the steps taken against Qatar are indicating that the situation is about to turn for the worse.
He added that the problem for the government of Nawaz Sharif is that the Sharifs have a close relation with both the governments of Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The Sharif family was given refuge by the Saudi royal family after the coup of 1999. On the other hand, the Sharifs have trade relations with Qatar.
Moreover, with regards to Panama leaks, Qatar is also important due as the letter by a Qatari royal is an important part of the case for the Sharifs. The Qatari who sent the letter, Hammad Bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani, is part of the royal family of the current emir. Therefore, the Nawaz government will try not to offend the Qataris as it could backfire in the Panama leaks case.
Another important point to consider is that hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis are working in Saudi Arabia and UAE, who send remittances back to the country that are an integral part of Pakistan s economy. Taking Qatar s side in this issue might put the employment of these Pakistanis and their families in Pakistan into jeopardy.
The recent move by Saudi Arabia has shown that Riyadh wants obedience and the fact that the Arab Gulf states quickly followed Saudi Arabia s decision, indicates that Riyadh does not want neutrality.
The larger picture of this division that is emerging is as such: On one side there is Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, United States, Israel. On the other side there is Iran, China, Russia, Iraq and Syria. In such a case, to talk about balance between Iran and Saudi Arabia is illogical. In this scenario, if Pakistan is to make a choice between Tehran and Riyadh, then Islamabad would be inclined towards favouring Riyadh.
Defence analyst Ayesha Siddiqa has said that Islamabad would have to proceed with caution with regards to this situation. For Pakistan, CPEC is an important factor in the equation, and the deteriorating situation in the region might adversely affect the completion of CPEC. It could be a possibility that parties involved in these regional tensions start backing terror groups like Taliban and Jundullah for their own benefit. The resulting instability and tensions might put CPEC in danger and this will be detrimental for Pakistan. The effects of this situation between Riyadh and Doha on CPEC is Pakistan s biggest source of stress right now.
Ayesha Siddiqa also opined that previously, we sent our general to lead the Saudi-led coalition and 7000 soldiers to fight for it, which showed that we cannot get on the wrong side of Riyadh.
According to the former ambassador to Iran, Fauzia Nasreen, for Pakistan, the foreign policy options are very limited right now. Pakistan has a land border with Iran, where there are existing tensions. If we upset Riyadh in this scenario, then Saudi Arabia and its allies in the Gulf will tend to favour India when it comes to foreign policy. She added that this is why to deal with such a crucial issue, the matter is going to the parliament where the Terms of reference will be discussed.
