Pak-Saudi relations

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza has just concluded a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia. Coming on the heels of President Zardari's sojourn to the Kingdom in the third week of July, it has a great significance from the perspective of bilateral relations between the two countries as well as strengthening of the consultative process between the two countries on the fast changing scenario in our region, the developments in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
President Zardari's visit helped in defusing tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran over Bahrain by persuading both the countries to resolve their differences through behind-the-scene negotiations; a role that Pakistan was able to play because of its excellent ties with both the Muslim countries.
Developments in Afghanistan, US talks with Taliban and post-America scenario in that war ravaged country, invariably formed part of the agenda during both the high-level visits. Saudi leaders enjoy great respect and influence in the Islamic World and therefore they are in an enviable position to help Pakistan and Afghanistan to smooth out their differences and to work together in bringing peace to a war-ravaged Afghanistan, prepare them to shoulder their responsibilities in this regard as well as facilitating US exit from that country. Saudi Arabia also has very strong diplomatic ties with India and perhaps can also facilitate the strengthening of the renewed dialogue process between the two arch rivals to resolve the outstanding disputes between them.
As far as bilateral relations between the two countries are concerned, there are no two opinions about the fact that they have an unfathomable depth. No word in the diplomatic parlance can appropriately describe the nature of ties between the two brotherly Islamic countries. King Abdullah reportedly told Prime Minister Gilani that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were one country.
That says it all about our relations with Saudi Arabia. And one has to accept ungrudgingly, that it was Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who actually choreographed a foreign policy whose corner stone was to build bonhomie with the Islamic world. He did succeed in uniting the Islamic countries by holding Islamic summit in Lahore in 1974. The Muslim countries looked up to him as a leader of the Islamic world. His eloquence and brave style of politics and astute diplomacy endeared him well to the Saudi leadership. Bhutto was striving to rebuild Pakistan and restore its economy that needed huge injections of resources.
He approached all the wealthy Muslim countries for their support, which was readily provided. Shah Faisal extended liberal help in rebuilding the economy of Pakistan. The export of manpower to the Gulf countries, more so to Saudi Arabia, was a big boost for the economy of Pakistan. The liberalisation of passport also facilitated economic migration of Pakistanis to a number of European countries that fetched remittances of billions of dollars to Pakistan and are the mainstay of Pakistan economy.
In the late eighties and early nineties also the Saudis helped Pakistan in tiding over the febrile economy. The Saudis have always stood by Pakistan in every moment of adversity and bailed it out of many tight situations. Be it the devastating earthquake that struck Besham in Northern Areas in 1974, the 2005 earthquake in Azad Kashmir or the deluge that hit Pakistan last year inflicting widespread destruction, the Saudis have been in the forefront to help Pakistan.
The Saudi leaders as custodians of the holy places of Islam are held in the highest esteem by the people of Pakistan as well as its leaders and by virtue of their unique status and the reverence that they enjoy, they have many a time helped in resolving political feuds within Pakistan, as its true friends
In the wake of the spiraling prices of oil in the international market in the later part of 2007 and the first quarter of 2008, Pakistan was adversely affected as it had to bear the burden of 40% increase in its oil bill that further exacerbated the already volatile economic situation. Prime Minister Gilani after assuming office lost no time in visiting Saudi Arabia and during his meetings with the Saudi leaders made a request for special oil facility.
The Saudi government offered one-year credit facility on the pattern of 1998 when in the wake of nuclear explosions, the US had imposed economic sanctions on Pakistan. The Kingdom approved the continuation of an arrangement stared in 1998 for delivery of free crude oil to Pakistan which imports 250,000 barrel of oil per day from that country. The Saudi loan of US $2 billion was also converted into a grant.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are also in the process of finalising an agreement whereby Pakistan would provide land to Saudi Arabia for growing and exporting wheat. Food security is almost top priority of any country, particularly a country like Saudi Arabia where not enough land is available for cultivating food grains to meet the requirements of the population.
This gesture on part of Pakistan is reflective of the brotherly affection, respect and the obligation that it feels towards the people of Saudi Arabia. The Saudis, in return are offering aid in the vicinity of US $6 billion to compensate Pakistan. During the current visit, King Abdullah reiterated his continued support for Pakistan and raised the level of economic cooperation between the two countries, the follow up action on which is likely to take place after the holy month of Ramazan, when high level exchanges are expected.
The visit of Prime Minister Gilani to Saudi Arabia was timely and indeed a very thoughtful undertaking in the backdrop of the emerging geo-political realities. It will certainly contribute a great deal to the resolution of regional issues as well as taking the relations between the two countries to still greater heights.