Saudi Arabia, Pakistan's 'strained' relations: Are the deteriorating relations between the 'brotherly Islamic countries' a sign of global change?

 

When Pakistan did not get the support of Saudi Arabia on the issue of Indian-administered Kashmir, it has started taking Saudi Arabia by surprise. Recently, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had criticized Saudi Arabia for not supporting the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) against India on the Kashmir issue. During a TV show, Shah Mehmood Qureshi had said, "I am once again requesting the OIC to convene a meeting of foreign ministers." If you do not hold it, I will be forced to demand that Prime Minister Imran Khan convene a meeting of the Islamic countries that are with us on the Kashmir issue and support the oppressed Kashmiris. Saudi Arabia has already declared the repeal of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution on Jammu and Kashmir an internal matter of India.

Concerns over the human rights situation in Indian-administered Kashmir must have been expressed at an emergency meeting of OIC Contact Group foreign ministers on August 5, 2019, following the repeal of Article 370. The meeting also said that the decision taken by the Indian government on Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, was in violation of a UN Security Council resolution and international law.

Remember that Saudi Arabia has more influence on the OIC. Following Pakistan's critical remarks, Saudi Arabia demanded the repayment of ارب 1 billion of the 2 3.2 billion loans given to Pakistan in 2018. Saudi Arabia has stopped lending oil to Pakistan since May this year due to the non-payment of debts. Shah Mehmood Qureshi's statement was also criticized in the Pakistani media because, according to analysts, it has increased the pressure on Pakistan to repay the loan. Experts and analysts see this as a major shift in Pakistan's attitude towards Saudi Arabia. Commenting on the change in Saudi Arabia's attitude towards Pakistan, Sanjay Bhardwaj, a professor at JNU's Center for South Asian Studies, said, "It should be seen as a global change. This is due to the changing balance between Asian countries. The United States and China are balancing themselves in Asian countries. Saudi Arabia has traditionally been an ally of the United States and has dominated the Islamic world. Now that a new Cold War situation has arisen between the United States and China, China is trying to intervene in Asian countries and strike a new balance. "China is going to make a big deal with Iran," he added. He is also investing heavily in Pakistan Gwadar Port and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In this way, both Pakistan and Iran are getting closer to China, whether it is about the investment or geopolitical relations. "In fact, China wants to replace Saudi Arabia in the Islamic world, and for that, it is looking to countries like Iran, Malaysia, and Pakistan," he said.  "Malaysia has also hosted a major summit of Islamic countries, which was fully attended by Pakistan and Iran, while Saudi Arabia was not present."

He said that the government of Pakistan had announced the inclusion of Saudi Arabia in the ً 50 billion C-Pac project with China in 2018 and the Imran government had also faced criticism from opposition parties on the issue. "But later, the government of Pakistan took a u-turn on its decision and made it clear that C-Pac would remain a bilateral agreement." Over the years, India's proximity to the Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, has increased. Apart from India's economic relations with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, relations are also improving in terms of security policy. Explaining, Professor Sanjay Bhardwaj said, “India, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates are becoming natural partners in this changing balance. Saudi Arabia and Iran can never be together. Due to Saudi Arabia's proximity to the United States, it (Saudi Arabia) is also getting closer to India. In fact, they are the result of global changes. " But is China willing to compromise on its interests in the Gulf market because of its growing proximity to Pakistan and Iran?  In response, Professor Sanjay Bhardwaj said that China is definitely looking for its potential in the Gulf markets, but in terms of geo-strategy, Iran and Pakistan are more important than Saudi Arabia.  China certainly wants to remove Saudi Arabia from US influence, but it will never do so at the expense of Pakistan and Iran. It is also trying to bring together China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The BBC's Thaqleen Imam, a senior journalist, does not see the issue in the context of the changing reckoning of the United States and China in Asia alone. Talking to Tarinder Kishore, he said that he did not believe that there was any hostile relationship between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.