LONDON: Security think-tank Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) has saidin a report that ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have deepened andheading in a direction where the relation is becoming institutionalizedincreasingly addressing both countries’ strategic interests.link#_>
The report published on Rusi’s website on Monday noted that there have beenrecent difficulties in the relationship between the two countries – overthe issue of sending Pakistani troops to fight alongside Saudi in Yemen -but the thorny issue has been overcome by the two countries.
The report said that Pakistani Parliament’s opposition to Islamabad’smilitary involvement in the Saudi-led coalition in the ongoing war in Yemensparked controversy and questions about the essence of the strategicrelations between the two countries but Pakistan’s decision not to jointheir Saudi allies in that war was largely due to domestic preoccupations.It said that Pakistan stayed out of Yemen to focus at home and to avoid“opening up an additional front with Iran, the Houthi’s powerful externalpatron and source of resources, which could contribute even further toinstability inside Pakistan”.
It said relation between the two countries is moving from a personalrelationship “between Saudi kings and Pakistani prime ministers, ratherthan the formal institutions of the two countries” to the “strategic domainwhere both countries are fine with each in pursuing their own interestsindependently. The report said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have tiesdating back to 1960 when the Pakistani army contributed to theestablishment of the Saudi armed forces.
It said: “It also assisted the Royal Saudi Air Force with the introductionof their first fighter jets. There are over 1,200 Pakistani trainers invarious Saudi security and military sectors, either under the Ministry ofInterior or the armed forces.
In light of the current economic and political reforms in Saudi Arabia, inwhich the Kingdom is eager to implement Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia andPakistan are now hoping to adopt a more strategic partnership, movingbeyond from the whims of personal ties.
“Recently, the Saudis have sent two significant delegations to Pakistanwith the aim of exploring trade investments and defence ties, sharingintelligence in the field of combat against terrorism, and formingstrategic working groups to handle the future development of relations.
“The Crown Prince, who also acts as Defence Minister, received the Chief ofStaff of the Pakistani Army, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, in Riyadh inFebruary to discuss bilateral military relations, with particular focus onhow to strengthen and develop military training, joint exercises, and theexchange of military expertise. The Saudis have given support to Pakistanin combating extremism.”
The report said that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are interested in an“interdependent security relationship, one which does not infringe oneither’s relations with other countries. Saudi Arabia, for one, isstrengthening its strategic ties with India without jeopardising itsrelationship with Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan has explained to the Saudisthat although going into Yemen was never an option for Pakistan’s military,Islamabad would defend Saudi Arabia when and if needed.”
The report claimed that despite its recent rapprochement with Iran,Pakistan has made clear that it supports Saudi Arabia’s interest inguarding against Iranian interference in Gulf security and Saudi Arabia’sinternal security.
“And, in turn, Saudi Arabia has supported Pakistan in disputes over theKashmir problem at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).” It saidSaudis have announced that it would join the China–Pakistan EconomicCorridor (CPEC) which will strengthen the trade exchange between the twocountries.