Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, along with an entourage that includes the PM’s National Security Adviser Nasser Khan Janjua and Special Assistant to the PM on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi are embarked on a mission to Riyadh and Tehran for the arduous task of resolving the differences between Iran and Saudi Arabia (SA) through dialogue. The civil and military leadership stressed its friendly relations with both the countries and expressed concern over the growing strife that has originated with the execution of Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr by the kingdom and the subsequent ransacking of the Saudi embassy in Tehran by protesters, leading to the breakdown of diplomatic relations between the two. In the PM’s meeting with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, he stressed that an early resolution is needed for the greater good of the Muslim Ummah, especially in these trying times when the threat of terrorism still lurks. Pakistan is willing to play its role, as it has in the past, of promoting amity between the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC). The meeting otherwise included many routine diplomatic reiterations, praising the Saudi initiative of forming an alliance against terrorism, ensuring Pakistan’s support in this endeavor and in the protection of SA’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Significantly, the question was raised regarding Iran, Syria and Iraq’s exclusion from the coalition, and in response this was attributed to a ‘trust deficit’. Recent reports suggest that SA has indicated a possible resumption of diplomatic ties with Iran if it shows positive signs. Moreover, a list of issues has been forwarded to the Pakistani leadership to bring under discussion in Tehran. Today the second leg of the diplomatic mission proceeded to Iran, with meetings scheduled with Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani and the COAS’s with Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan. Iran’s Defence Minister emphasised the importance of this visit, further raising hopes of possible success.
The reports so far tell us very little regarding the actual exchanges that took place on the principal issue, making it difficult to predict this mission’s eventual success. A recent statement by the PM’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz, however, sheds some light on the government’s stance. While emphasising the damage of being tangled in external conflicts as he responded to the US President’s claim that instability will continue in Pakistan for many years, he stated, “We have decided that we are not going to indulge in fighting other countries’ wars now and this policy is being pursued vigorously by the government.” This reflects Pakistan’s continuing policy of neutrality. This wisdom must be lauded for it reflects that the government is aware of how previous escapades into foreign wars have cost the country. Currently, it appears Pakistan is playing its conciliatory role well, with the COAS’s suggestion to the Saudi foreign minister to establish a direct channel of communication with Iran. This is a necessary measure pivotal to any reconciliation since diplomatic relations have been severed and indirect channels may be insufficient. The difficulty of the mediatory task is incontrovertible. Nevertheless, someone needs to intercede before the conflict spirals out of control. Already both countries have directly intervened in regional conflicts on opposing sides, SA in Yemen and Iran in Syria and to some extent Iraq. Moreover, both are involved in proxy wars along sectarian lines throughout the region. This is especially dangerous, since no country or region can sustain a sectarian division for long, with history showing how quickly it can blow up into massive bloodshed. Pakistan too is cognizant of this, and making serious efforts to dissipate tensions. But the mythical ‘ummah’ that is emphasised by the Muslim world needs to be seen for what it is, a distant aspiration that does not meet on-the-ground realities by a long shot. While religious differences are unlikely to be resolved soon, the political aspects along with the deep-rooted antagonism must be addressed. For that Pakistan will need to follow through consistently on its current efforts.http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/editorial/20-Jan-2016/riyadh-to-tehran
Comments are closed.