Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share a multi-faceted strategic relationship spanning political, defence, security, energy, religious, cultural and economic realms. Over a million Pakistanis reside and work in Saudi Arabia and another 600,000 visit the kingdom to perform the Haj and Umrah pilgrimages every year.
Bilateral trade stood at $2.83 billion in 2005, and Pakistan has benefited a great deal from the kingdom’s relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities during natural calamities, as well as remittances and investments. In the military sphere, Pakistan — the only Muslim country possessing nuclear weapons — has been special and a great source of strength to Saudi Arabia. Pakistan’s military has a history of performing security duties in the kingdom and training Saudi military personnel… The intelligence agencies of the two countries have regularly exchanged information on the movements of key Al Qaeda suspects.
All these strategic considerations and relations, however, didn’t cut much ice with critics after Sharif’s deportation… As the place of Islam’s two holiest shrines, Saudi Arabia has a special place in the Muslim world. But many in Pakistan now feel that following the Sharif deportation incident, Pakistanis are unlikely to ignore the alleged “exploitation of Pakistani workers in Saudi Arabia or the uninhibited hunting sprees of Saudi princes in Pakistan,” thereby affecting bilateral relations.
Sharif’s party has indicated that the Saudi government has conveyed to Islamabad that it will have nothing to do with the former premier after Eid, especially if it may damage the reputation of Saudi Arabia among Pakistanis. Whether this happens or not isn’t as important as what is likely to happen in the years ahead. The political course is yet to crystallize in Pakistan. But, with Pakistan certain to return to full-fledged democracy sooner or later, allowing all aspiring politicians to contest in elections thereafter, Sharif’s return to the top job at some point could make the strain with Saudi Arabia manifest in one form or another. Access the full article>>