SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN- Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have deep economic and political ties. While Pakistan considers itself the leader of Muslims in South Asia, it also adheres to Saudi leadership openly agreeing that Saudi Arabia is the leader of the Muslim world and caretakers of the two holy cities, Medina and Mecca.
Pak–Saudi relations are exclusive, cordial, and strategic. The elementary features of this exceptional relationship are strong religious affinity, bilateral resolve, assured support, and pragmatism. This resilient and all-weather relationship started much before the Kingdom became oil-rich. Since the beginning of the 1950s, Pak-Saudi relations have been witnessing an upward trajectory in all diplomatic fields, including political, economic, social, and strategic cooperation.
While attaining dynamism in their bilateral relationship, both countries urge more exclusivity, steadiness, and perpetuity in their relations as reinforcing factors. The role of national institutions of both countries has been commendable in evolving and consolidating their traditional bondage
Both countries stood by each other at most difficult times like wars, conflicts, and natural calamities. Over the years, this
relationship has been reinforced by a common faith and cultural affinity. Geographical proximity, the convergence of interests, trade, and commerce further added to the already defined track of connexons. Since last seven decades both countries have exchanged high-level delegations. Almost all leadership of Pakistan visited the Holy Land in their respective tenures, so did Saudi leadership.
There has existed a distinctive synergy in the bilateral relationship of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for the last seven decades. This all-weather relationship stood the test of odd days and disturbing times. During almost all crises, Pakistan supported the Kingdom without raising eyebrows, the resolute support. Many Pakistanis are working in various parts of Saudi Arabia as engineers, teachers, doctors, workers, and construction experts. Indeed, Pakistanis working in Saudi Arabia considered it as their homeland. Upon the occurrence of a shocking 2005-earthquake in northern parts of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia provided $10 million in financial assistance on a humanitarian basis besides another $170 million in aid (2010-2012) to rehabilitate the flood victims of Pakistan۔
Currently, the volume of bilateral trade between both countries is approximately $2.5 billion. In January 2018, both countries reinforced their bilateral economic ties with a preferential trade agreement as per the new Saudi Vision-2030. It
is a brainchild of Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman meant to diversify the Saudi economy on modern lines. In the light of this vision, Saudi Arabia is gradually reducing its dependency on black gold. The Kingdom is in the process of economic
diversifications, which includes public and private sectors. The focus is education, health, tourism, infrastructure, and other public sector facilities. The Crown Prince is striving hard to “transform the Kingdom into a global economic powerhouse”, which will benefit the Arab world۔
The elementary bases of a strategic relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are historical, pragmatic, and sentimental. This relationship emerged much before the Kingdom became oil-rich, which rejects the analogy that the economy is defining factor of the Pak-Saudi relationship. The Holy cities, Makkah and Medina, have been the spiritual reasons for reinforcement of this relationship.
The strategic nature of the Pak-Saudi relationship is further fortified by common geopolitical interests, as Pakistan armed forces are always ready to support Saudi Arabia in case of any external aggression on its soil. From the military archives,
it is evident that Pakistan’s armed forces have been assisting Saudi Arabia since the 1960s with their physical presence in the Kingdom. They played a key role in the foundation and subsequent training of the Saudi armed forces.
Both militaries have had close cooperation and collaboration since the 1970s. Pakistan military trainers are imparting training to Saudi armed forces as nucleus staff. Besides, officers from triservices of Saudi Arabia are attending military courses in Pakistan military institutions at a mid-career level to the higher level of national security.There had been a sizable contingent of Pakistan armed forces in Saudi Arabia throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s against any possible external aggression۔
In conclusion, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have an unprecedented relationship, ready to help each other at needed time and space. This partnership is not limited to economic cooperation and investment pledges. It is a commitment in all fields like political, strategic, and military. Saudi Arabia is looking forward to greater military cooperation from Pakistan, mainly owing to the looming threats in the Middle East.
Pakistan and Saudi armed forces collaborate at almost all levels, including military training through joint exercises and drills. Apart from strengthening the existing ties, the 2019-visit of Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman has opened many new and long-term avenues for Pak-Saudi relations involving future generations. The foundation of this very relationship will help both countries to reorient their strategic relations keeping in view the rapidly changing geopolitical situation and new alliances in the making. There is a dire need to strengthen the existing bondage of the Pak-Saudi relationship under rapidly changing regional and global geopolitical scenarios.
Source: Shafaqna Pakistan
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