Why Saudi Arabia’s road to Asia runs through Pakistan

[Talwar e Pakistan]

Pakistan should help the Saudis on their internal matters. Pakistan army can send retired military men as trainers to help and train Saudis Soldiers. We have no interest in being part of any war against any Muslim country.

Pakistan trainers and advisors are already in the country.

 

[saiyan0321]

Yes we should boost ties however what many don't understand that boosting ties doesn't mean slavery nor fighting their wars. Its needless to say that we will defend Saudi Arabia bcz of the holy sites so that's don't and dusted and we have also made it very clear that we won't be joining any war that does not concern us as well as any coalition that is vague and unrealistic however we are fully willing to boost ties as well as relation and even defense ties and coalition provided the coalition agreements are well drafted and well defined ( have always supported a defence pact between allies especially with China ).

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have always maintained great relations and despite the road bumps, the two nations need to increase ties whilst we also need to maintain and improve ties with Iran making it clear that we are neither taking sides nor interested in taking sides whilst also increasing our relationship with Saudi Arabia.

Yeah this is way to complicated for our policy makers .. :p :p :p

 

[SBD-3]

I think Pak-SA defence relationship is definitely going for an upgrade, but we have to be careful and not become part of any stupid sectarian war. We can train their forces, provide military hardware, joint R&D. SA needs to invest in Pakistan as well, becoming part of CPEC and having an energy corridor with China via pak is another interesting prospect.

Well you can't have a safe drive in full throttle can you? Ideal relationships Pakistan would like to have is that of India but Pakistan can't afford to be India. Indians, for example do operate from Iranian territory in a trade off for building the Chahbahar as Kulbashan fiasco tells us. You can't have unusual relationships in usual ways, as simple as that.Furthermore, If China completes and make CPEC operational, would they be able to stay neutral to threats to Pakistan? The answer was here just a couple of days ago
http://aaj.tv/2016/08/china-will-intervene-if-india-tried-to-jeopardize-cpec-assures-shisheng/

Chinese help to Pakistan has increased manifold in the aftermath of CPEC. They could just let India slip through to NSG but they blocked India's access and they did it for Pakistan. So all those who think Pakistan and KSA can improve ties in thin air, are living in a fool's paradise.

 

[smali183]

All roads lead to Pakistan and people like OBL, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed , Masood Azhar, Hafiz Sayeed, Dawood Ibrahim etc. have all taken them to reach their prized destination.

Tumara ya dolak ( drum beats ) aur Geet ( song) purana ho chuka hai....kuch naya sur lagao.

 

[Gibbs]

Hmmm.. Just as when Pakistan is starting to become more stable security wise and economically and seem to be in control of it's internal sectarian conflict mainly propagated and funded by Saudi based radical Wahhabi Islamist's..

 

[Kambojaric]

Increased ties are always welcome and they should invest in CPEC projects as well. They are one of the larger investors in our country but no where close to China, and yet CPEC has immense potential for the Saudis as well since it links them to the Chinese market through a much faster route than the current shipping lanes passing around the straits of Malacca in SE Asia.
However we need to maintain our neutrality in Middle Eastern politics just as Middle Eastern nations do in Pak-Indo politics. Just as Saudi or Iran or Egypt dont care about Kashmir. Similarly they cant expect us to care about their issues, so things like intervening in Yemen or Syria should be a big no.

 

[Taimoor Khan]

Rope them in CPEC. Lets give them olive branch to use Gawadar for exporting the oil to energy hungry China. With Arabs pissed off with Yanks, CPEC makes all sense for them to divert their west bound oil export to east. It would be win win scenario for Arabs as well, they can replace their western markets with China and at the same time, hit the west hard. Ofcourse the stakes can be raised if they decide to trade in yuan instead of dollar.

 

[Dawood Ibrahim]

All roads lead to Pakistan and people like OBL, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed , Masood Azhar, Hafiz Sayeed, Dawood Ibrahim etc. have all taken them to reach their prized destination.

This is a secret between you and our members Please don't tell anyone we will be exposed

 

[Kambojaric]

Hmmm.. Just as when Pakistan is starting to become more stable security wise and economically and seem to be in control of it's internal sectarian conflict mainly propagated and funded by Saudi based radical Wahhabi Islamist's..

Nothing wrong with more trade. Saudi's largest trade partners are China and the US. However I agree that we should not get dragged into their political and sectarian conflicts as our population is extremely diverse and taking sides in such conflicts has a hugely negative consequence on our country. The government and GHQ needs to ensure all "humanitarian aid" is properly vetted.

 

[Super Falcon]

Why Saudi Arabia’s road to Asia runs through Pakistan

Even before Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman landed in Islamabad on Sunday, to kick off his first official trip to Asia, over 100,000 Pakistanis had already reached Saudi Arabia to perform the yearly pilgrimage of Hajj. Call it symbolic, symbiotic or complementary, this is one instance of a long and unique relationship that has existed between the two countries.

The mutual interests of Riyadh and Islamabad converge in numerous areas. If Pakistan’s need for energy is critical and longstanding, the presence of over 1.5 million Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia makes it mutually beneficial. They have both identified terrorism as their common enemy, which calls for constant cooperation on security and political moderation. Collaboration on this front is likely to get a boost with a visit of this kind.

The visit throws up an interesting match-up of leaderships on either side. The world’s youngest defense minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been steering Saudi Arabia’s renewed focus on domestic reforms and is attempting to redefine the country’s relations abroad. On this occasion, he is engaging with a prime minster in Pakistan who has spent almost a decade in exile in Saudi Arabia.

Notwithstanding the ebb and flow of Saudi-Pakistan relations, and the thick and thin of his own political career, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is bound to give Riyadh the special status that it deserves. Sharif also holds the foreign minister’s portfolio in this current dispensation, which makes his position even more unique.

In cosying up further to Saudi Arabia, Nawaz Sharif is unlikely to face resistance from the country’s powerful nuclear-armed military, which is known to hold sway in matters beyond its jurisdiction. Reports emerging from Islamabad said that the Saudi crown prince held a meeting with Nawaz Sharif in the presence of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif.

In cosying up further to Saudi Arabia, Nawaz Sharif is unlikely to face resistance from the country’s powerful nuclear-armed military, which is known to hold sway in matters beyond its jurisdiction

Ehtesham Shahid
Repair work
Many analysts expected Saudi-Pakistan relations to take a major jolt after the Pakistani parliament voted not to actively participate in Saudi-led coalition operations in Yemen. However, subsequent developments suggest this hasn’t been the case and the ongoing two-day visit is likely to bring things further back on track.

Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s role as the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Council for Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA) is likely to dominate economic cooperation between the two sides. There are areas such as food security where the two sides have cooperated in the past and should continue to work for mutual benefit.

Saudi Arabia has provided generous humanitarian aid to Pakistan over the years and is likely to continue this process. Bilateral trade has also been on the rise in recent years although there still remain areas in which more can be done. The balance of trade is in favor of Saudi Arabia as Pakistan imports most of its oil from the kingdom.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Pakistan is also significant because his next stop is going to be China, with which Pakistan enjoys an excellent relationship. One reason attributed to Beijing’s prolonged engagement with Pakistan has been its desire to open up access to the Gulf. This visit could further cement ties on this front and open up more possibilities.

Saudi Arabia has chosen to look at its relations with Asia in the light of rapidly changing geopolitics in the region and beyond. Under these circumstances, it makes sense for Riyadh to start with countries closer to home, which helps build bridges with Asian giants.
Pakistan provides a stepping stone for Riyadh’s “look east” strategy and the country seems eager to tap into this opportunity. If this visit adds a few more layers to this already multifaceted relationship, then both sides would indeed stand to benefit from it.
_______________________

Ehtesham Shahid is Managing Editor at Al Arabiya English. For close to two decades he has worked as editor, correspondent, and business writer for leading publications, news wires and research organizations in India and the Gulf region. He loves to occasionally dabble with teaching and is collecting material for a book on unique tales of rural conflict and transformation from around the world. His twitter handle is @e2sham.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/vie...bia-s-road-to-Asia-goes-through-Pakistan.html
Advance level buttering

There is no profitable route either that's why

 

[Gibbs]

Increased ties are always welcome and they should invest in CPEC projects as well. They are one of the larger investors in our country but no where close to China, and yet CPEC has immense potential for the Saudis as well since it links them to the Chinese market through a much faster route than the current shipping lanes passing around the straits of Malacca in SE Asia.

The Chinese are very weary about the possibility of Islamic radicalization of it's populace especially in Xinjiang, And given the Al Saud close connections with the US Administration, Wouldn't you think it will be counter productive ?

 

[dadeechi]

This is a secret between you and our members Please don't tell anyone we will be exposed

Just between you and me. The secret road called "Wahhabi Express" forks into three in Pakistan - One goes to Afghanistan, the other to Kashmir (India) and the last to East Turkestan (China).

Please do not reveal this to anyone. This is TOP SECRECT.

 

[Bouncer]

Keep smiling and stay friendly but stay away from their messed up sectarian games in the region. Their policies have resulted in deaths of thousands of their own Arab brethren. Same goes for Iran too.

We can be friendly with both Saudis and Iranians, and not participate in the bloodshed that is going on in ME. The excellent decision to stay away from Yemen proved that this is workable.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

Advance level buttering

I agree. The problem is corruption. Pakistan's elite has sold out Pakistan for few dollars in their own pockets. The Saudia's instead of helping Pakistan have found a easier way, help out few of the big wigs in Pakistan politics and few mullahs.

What does Saudia give Pakistan? Really? Asides the hot air? Has anybody sat down and done real accounting? Real tangible compared to others?

1.5 million Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia makes it mutually beneficial

Okay using this score of "brotherhood" then Saudia has been far more beneficial to India. There are more Indian workers there then Pakistan? "Brotherhood" means active discrimination in favour of your friend. I don't see that.

both identified terrorism as their common enemy,

Yes, most of it nurtured by Saudi sponsorship of certain type of Madaris.

Pakistan, with its relatively well-trained and professional military, comes in

No it does not "come in". When sh*t really hits the fan who do the Saudi's want to "come" in? US Marines (below) First Gulf War. And they pay $200 billion for the service.

Pakistani troops deployed in Saudi Arabia, though the number is said to be modest.

Yeh, a couple of them in some desolate location away from the real action.

Fact Check: The Saudi's have their head so deep up the American posterior they don't see anything else.

 

[xyxmt]

All roads lead to Pakistan and people like OBL, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed , Masood Azhar, Hafiz Sayeed, Dawood Ibrahim etc. have all taken them to reach their prized destination.

what happened to billi ke chichrey fantasies of special forces to pick up Dawood and Hafiz?