Riyadh to press Nawaz for more troops to fight IS threat: report

[Devil Soul]

Riyadh to press Nawaz for more troops to fight IS threat: report
By Web Desk
Published: March 4, 2015

As Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif departed on Wednesday on a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia, reports suggest that Riyadh is set to press the premier to boost the number of Pakistani troops in the Kingdom to fight militants, including the Islamic State.

However, as per a report published in Gulf News, Islamabad is cautious about broadening its security relationship with Riyadh.

“There is uncertainty in the Middle East as Saudi Arabia deals with the wider Islamic State-related challenge,” a former national security adviser to Nawaz, Mahmoud Durrani said.

“Pakistan has to be careful to avoid getting embroiled in a relationship with the Saudis which only exposes us to new controversies.”

Riyadh is concerned about Islamic State, which has taken over large swathes of land in Iraq and Syria, seeking to target the kingdom.

“The Saudis are very keen to boost their security apparatus, and Pakistan as a friend with a history of services to the kingdom is of great interest,” a western diplomat said.

Similar to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia faces a militant threat.

However, the two countries face challenges in their bilateral relations as the simmering issue of foreign funding in Madrassahs topped an agenda of the National Action Plan to wipe out terrorism.

After nearly a year-long denial, authorities in the Punjab government finally admitted that some 17 Muslim and non-Muslim countries were contributing hundreds of millions of rupees to around 1,000 religious seminaries in the province.

The Interior Ministry in its written reply to the committee informed the lawmakers the names of the countries and the funds they contributed to madrassas in Pakistan, which included: Qatar Rs198m, Kuwait Rs56m, Saudi Arabia Rs42m, Dubai Rs11m, the Netherlands Rs2.5m, United States Rs0.7m, Hong Kong Rs0.1m, Kuwait Rs0.9m and Bahrain Rs1.8m.

The countries’ close relationship has been built on common security interests dating back to the 1970s, when the Saudi oil boom created employment for a large number of Pakistanis.

“In the 1980s the Saudis were keen to keep Pakistani troops as this helped counter the Iranian threat,” says one former Pakistani army general who served in the kingdom. “For the Saudis, the relationship with Pakistan guarantees both against internal dissent and external threats.”

 

[Devil Soul]

Riyadh to press Pakistan for more troops
‘Saudi Arabia is both a friend and a source of a continuing problem,’ says senior Pakistani official

• By Farhan Bokhari, Financial Times
• Published: 12:40 March 4, 2015
  Islamabad: Saudi Arabia is to press Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to boost the number of Pakistani troops in the kingdom to help bolster Riyadh’s defences against Islamist militants, including Daesh.
  
  Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan’s prime minister, lands in Riyadh on Wednesday to meet King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.
  
  While diplomats stress the close ties between the countries, Sharif’s trip — his third this year — comes amid profound challenges facing the bilateral relationship, not least the continued flow of funds from rich patrons in Saudi Arabia to Islamist hardliners within Pakistan.
  
  The countries’ close relationship has been built on common security interests going back to the 1970s, when the Saudi oil boom created employment for a large number of Pakistanis. Islamabad deepened the relationship in the ensuing years by assuming responsibility for some of Saudi Arabia’s internal security needs.
  
  
  “Saudi Arabia is both a friend and a source of a continuing problem,” said a senior Pakistani official ahead of Sharif’s departure. “This relationship provides opportunities and challenges.”
  
  It is not clear how many Pakistani troops there are currently in Saudi Arabia, though it is understood the numbers deployed are modest. And analysts say Islamabad is cautious about broadening its security relationship with Riyadh.
  
  “There is uncertainty in the Middle East as Saudi Arabia deals with the wider [Daesh]-related challenge,” says Mahmoud Durrani, a former national security adviser to Sharif. “Pakistan has to be careful to avoid getting embroiled in a relationship with the Saudis which only exposes us to new controversies.”
  
  Riyadh has grown more anxious about security after the takeover of Yemen by Al Houthi rebels, say Western diplomats who have followed the Saudi-Pakistan discussions over the past year. “The Saudis are very keen to boost their security apparatus, and Pakistan as a friend with a history of services to the kingdom is of great interest,” said one.
  
  Saudi Arabia — like Pakistan — faces a rising Islamist militant threat, while many accuse the government of having turned a blind eye to domestic preachers whose ideology underpins such groups. Private Saudi donations to Islamist extremist groups continue despite government attempts to stem the flow of cash.
  
  Riyadh, which confronted a domestic Al Qaida insurgency in 2003-2006, is concerned about Daesh militants in Syria and Iraq seeking to target the kingdom. Saudi Arabia has built a defensive security fence along its border with Iraq, but Daesh militants managed to breach the border in January.
  
  The Saudi-Pakistan defence relationship goes back to the 1970s, when Pakistan’s military dictator General Zia Ul Haq sent thousands of troops for security duties in the kingdom after Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution.
  
  “In the 1980s the Saudis were keen to keep Pakistani troops as this helped counter the Iranian threat,” says one former Pakistani army general who served in the kingdom. “For the Saudis, the relationship with Pakistan guarantees both against internal dissent and external threats”.
  
  Domestic security challenge
  
  The relationship strengthened in 1998 when Saudi Arabia began giving oil to Pakistan to help the country overcome the effect of international financial sanctions following its maiden nuclear tests. The arrangement lasted almost three years.
  
  More recently in early 2014, Saudi Arabia lent $1.5 billion (Dh5.5 billion) to Pakistan to shore up the country’s foreign reserves after a visit to Islamabad by then crown prince Salman. The full terms of the loan were not revealed, although Pakistani finance ministry officials said at the time the loan was interest-free.
  
  Analysts warn that it would be overly optimistic of Saudi Arabia to expect large-scale new deployments of troops from its neighbour amid a heightened domestic security challenge highlighted by the Taliban massacre of 150 people, mostly schoolchildren, in the northern Pakistani city of Peshawar. “Right now, we need our manpower at home as Pakistan deals with its own security challenges,” says Ikram Sehgal, a defence analyst.
  
  But Sehgal says Pakistan may seek to meet the Saudi request halfway, for example by sending fewer troops but for a longer-term deployment, with possible pledges of a quick reaction force if needed.
  
  “Given the way this relationship has evolved, Pakistan is in no shape to go for an outright refusal to the Saudis,” he says. “A via media of some kind will have to be found which satisfies the Saudis without compromising Pakistan’s own interests.”
  Riyadh to press Pakistan for more troops | GulfNews.com

 

[Syed Hussain]

Turning of tides not much long ago they asked for recruitment for the jihad in Syria.

 

[Dalit]

We aren't providing crap. Enough blood of our brave soldiers has been spilt. Not one single drop of blood any more.

 

[Kompromat]

Pakistanis will soon realise what having Nawaz Sharif in the office means.

We should deploy forces inside Saudi Arabia but only in 'support, planning and training roles'. While safeguarding KSA's stability from terrorist threats is in our best interest, however there needs to be a fine line between how our military is deployed there. Last thing we want to see is our Army protecting the al Saud Monarchy instead of protecting our Saudi people and the country itself.

 

[Winchester]

Relations with Saudi are important but unfortunately the last few years have thought us that the Saudi monarchy views the region through a sectarian prism
Pakistan would do well to avoid engaging itself in this mess especially with our own security situation
Plus Saudi Arabia has the Egyptian military in its pocket

 

[rockstar08]

More troops ? means we already give them troops ?? that sucks .. their army is well equipped than us ... why asking Pakistan ??they buy modern Fighters for Show off ?? wtf ?
Nawaz will sell every Pakistani Soldier to KSA if he get chance , i hope Gen Sharif is not Dumb as Kiyan and keep hold of this Chu Nawaz

 

[lasttry]

mercenaries ... wow

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Turning of tides not much long ago they asked for recruitment for the jihad in Syria.

true

but I think this visit is the one where Nawaz might be put to task for two reasons

1. what you done to the money we gave you to F.. Iran?
2. how dare the media and people of Pakistan point their finger at us re sectarian & religious violence in Pakistan?


Saudis paid nawaz 1.5 billion Hallal dolalrs to cancel the Pak Iran gasline project and encourage jundullah to kill Iranian Ayatullahs etc. but Nawaz spent all that money on building offshore companies and food. now he is in trouble

secondly people have built a courage in Pakistan to blame Saudis for fanning sectarian culling of Hazarras and tribes in Kuram Agency parachinar and roadside regular murder of shia pilgrims by Saudi funded TTP and LeJ

I mean if we are Sunnis then why the Fck should we care if some saudi funded Muslims are killing shias?

 

[Sugarcane]

GoP & Policy makers must understand that People join Army to serve and protect Pakistan and people of Pakistan. Helping and having cooperation to improve the capabilities is win-win for parties, but we should stop Rent an Army business.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

They shouldn't send our troops to protect other countries .. Material support .. Maybe military advisors/trainers etx but not fighting troops.. Hell no ..

 

[root]

Protection of saudia arabia is must as muslims most sacred places are present in saudia arabia so pakistan should should do whatever possible to protect them from terror threats. But pakistan should also deal with its security situtation as well.

 

[PlanetWarrior]

In all fairness to the Saudis, they house the most sacred of Islam's places. Knowing ISIS, they wouldn't hesitate to slaughter the Saudis and to destroy Mecca and Medina in their attempt to settle scores. Every Muslim should rally to protect Saudi Arabia and Pakistan should be no exception. Just my two cents

 

[Iggy]

I hope Pakistan wont be jump into the trap when others use Ummah card.. This will create internal rift within Pakistan..

In all fairness to the Saudis, they house the most sacred of Islam's places. Knowing ISIS, they wouldn't hesitate to slaughter the Saudis and to destroy Mecca and Medina in their attempt to settle scores. Every Muslim should rally to protect Saudi Arabia and Pakistan should be no exception. Just my two cents

If they cant protect their own country, then they should pass the responsibility of Mecca and Medina to some other able country.. How long you suppose they will live like this sacrificing people of other countries by showing Ummah card?

 

[PlanetWarrior]

I hope Pakistan wont be jump into the trap when others use Ummah card.. This will create internal rift within Pakistan..




If they cant protect their own country, then they should pass the responsibility of Mecca and Medina to some other able country.. How long you suppose they will live like this sacrificing people of other countries by showing Ummah card?

You truly are a secret agent of the Vatican ! You want the Christian countries to go in on the pretext of protecting Saudi Arabia only to colonize it later ? Shame on you infidel !!