UK think tank credits Gen Bajwa for 'calming hype' surrounding Pak-Saudi relations

LONDON: A commentary published by Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), the world's oldest defence think tank, has credited Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa for calming the relationship between Saudi–Pakistan in recent days.

According to the commentary, by Kamal Alam, Gen Bajwa and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman "have brought realism into the relationship, one which goes beyond just slogans of brotherhood and history".

Alam wrote: “General Bajwa has steered the institutional relationship away from personalities and one-man shows. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has done much the same. This has led to the first-ever private-led investment by a Saudi entity in Pakistan. Seen from this perspective, the $1-billion debt payback demand is a paltry sum, compared to the almost $20-billion private investment into Pakistan.”

He said that Gen Bajwa has worked to develop the ties into a broader corporate relationship on a more equitable basis, rather than one of aid and dependence.

“[Gen] Bajwa had earlier also fixed Pakistan’s relationship with the UAE which had stalled since Pakistan refused to assist the UAE in military operations in Yemen. Prior to the army chief’s visit to the UAE, there had been a freeze in all UAE–Pakistan diplomatic activity," he noted.

Gen Bajwa visited Riyadh immediately after the media uproar and assured the Saudis that there is no danger of any Pakistani participation in the anti-Saudi alliance.

”Pakistan also must understand that, just as Kashmir is their jugular vein, Yemen is the Saudi weak spot. Both countries need a realistic perspective on their priorities and security threats. This cannot be a one-way street, especially since Egypt has now arguably replaced Pakistan as Saudi Arabia’s main guarantor for internal and regional security,” Alam said.

He said that Pakistan’s relation with Saudi Arabia is primarily handled directly by the Pakistan Army and the Saudi King and Crown Prince. “There have been some question marks about this alliance as a result of various regional changes, such as the Qatari, Malaysian and Turkish embrace of Pakistan and the anti-Saudi stance which such realignments may imply. However, despite the hype, there can be no rupture in this alliance.”

Alam said that the growing Turkish and Malaysian influence on Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has not gone unnoticed in Riyadh.

”Imran Khan has repeatedly said that his political heroes are Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad,” he said.

Imran Khan sees Pakistan as a democratic Islamic country and wants to replicate the economic success that underpinned Turkey and Malaysia’s rise, the report said, adding that at last year’s UN General Assembly summit, the three leaders decided to launch a joint Islamic platform to counter Islamophobia.

”This then resulted in a historic summit in Kuala Lumpur which was the first major Islamic conference outside the realms of the Saudi-based OIC,” the report added.

The presence of the Iranian president and the Emir of Qatar at that summit ”further annoyed the Saudis who perceived the Malaysia summit more as a threat to their leadership than a genuine Islamic forum”.

“The Saudis do not object to Pakistan’s bilateral ties with Turkey or Malaysia, however, do not want Pakistan to be part of Erdogan’s regional meddling in Arab affairs. Pakistan did not appreciate how acutely sensitive Riyadh may be to fears of Turkish and Qatari animosity towards Riyadh,” it added.