While opposition parties, particularly PTI, had so far lambasted the government on its ambiguous stance on the Iran-Saudi row, this may have been one of the wiser decisions of the government, until it was changed yesterday when Pakistan announced unswerving support for Saudi Arabia following the visit from Saudi Foreign Minister, Adel Al-Jubeir. The Saudi Foreign Minister also briefed Nawaz Sharif about what the 34-member coalition entails, but the government has so far neglected to bring the rest of the country, or indeed the opposition parties into the loop. Instead, it reiterated its participation without really clarifying the extent.
Emphasizing Pakistan’s neutrality in the conflict was of primary importance in order to ensure that tensions do not flare up within the country as a result of the sectarian divide that the entire Middle-Eastern region is now plagued with. Already, things are getting more heated by the day, with Iran accusing Saudi Arabia of conducting air strikes in the vicinity of its embassy in Yemen on Thursday. Offering unswerving support to the kingdom over the Iran also sparked protests in Islamabad with the arrival of Al-Jubeir. Notable religious organizations came out against the move to pick one country over another, because they realize that this is tantamount to attaching a higher value to one sect in the minds of some people.
A staunch ally though it may be, Saudi Arabia’s policy to aggravate sectarian tensions over the years have been nothing short of divisive in the region and beyond. One of the major reasons the Saudi government sets itself against Iran in the first place, is the presence of a Shia majority in the country. This sort of attitude has no place in the modern world, and nor should it be supported no matter the scale of ‘donations’ regularly coming in from the kingdom. It is time that the relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia stops being shrouded in secrecy. Given Pakistan’s extensive contribution to the defence capabilities of the country, it also time that this government stops tripping over its own feet to appease Saudi Arabia, and demand a more equal relationship, one that does not require constantly agreeing to whatever whims drive the Saudi government at any given point. Maintaining positive regional ties should take precedence, and if Pakistan has nothing to say in favour of Iran, it would be most prudent to not say anything against either.http://nation.com.pk/editorials/09-Jan-2016/a-policy-of-appeasement
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