Pakistan’s role in Muslim ummah

Pakistan adopted a sensible approach by approaching Saudi Arabia and Iran with a view to reducing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and forging unity in the Muslim world. Geographic, geopolitical and geo-economic reasons along with issues of religious sensitivities compel Pakistan not to take sides in the rivalry. To safeguard its internal communal harmony and stability, neutrality is indeed the best choice for Pakistan to make. Being a very important Muslim country, Pakistan should activate its diplomatic corps to move UN and other international/regional countries to bring the rival countries to the negotiating table. Last week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif visited Tehran and Riyadh in a bid to ease tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which appear quite successful. Speaking to journalists in Tehran after his visit to Saudi Arabia, Nawaz Sharif told journalists that Saudi Arabia and Iran have appreciated Pakistan’s initiative.
Escalating tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran could have serious repercussions for the region in particular and the entire Muslim world in general. The belligerency and non-cooperation between them will only benefit the vicious and self-perpetuating parochial ideology of ISIS. Furthermore, it is likely to affect seriously the peace process initiative in Syria and Yemen as well as casting negative shadow over the plight of Palestinians people who are witnessing growing aggression from Israel. After Turkey-Russia row, the latest friction between Saudi Arabia and Iran seems a well engineered plot to create easier environment for Israel in the region. As the crisis escalated, there had been little in the form of proactive diplomacy from the international community to calm cross-Gulf tensions except appeals for restraint. Only Russia offered to mediate. The UN must play an active role in cooling tempers as the Middle East cannot afford conflagration.
The attack on the Saudi embassy in Iran, which followed the execution of a prominent cleric by Saudi Arabia, had soured diplomatic relations between the two countries. Given Pakistan’s efforts, the relations between the two Muslim countries are on a positive trajectory. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayotullah Ali Khamenei has condemned the vigilantes’ attack on Saudi mission in Iran, saying the incident severely damaged the image of Islam and the Islamic Republic. The statement came just a day after the visits of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif to Riyadh and Tehran. Army chief General Raheel Sharif had met Saudi Arabia’s deputy crown prince and defence minister, Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh. During the meeting, General Raheel highlighted Pakistan’s perspective on the Middle East situation, which was well received by him. He said: “Due to the situation in Middle East, the Muslim ummah is weakening.”
Pakistan had joined the 34-countries Saudi-led alliance against ISIS terrorism, but did not commit troops on the ground. There was internal pressure from all political parties that Pakistan should not take sides, and should play mediator’s role. Thus, Pakistan had decided to play the role to help defuse the tension between the Saudi Arabia and Iran, which was the right course, as both Iran and Saudi Arabia had stood by Pakistan when it faced calamities. On 21st January extraordinary meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministes was held. Pakistan called on all OIC member states and the international community to take serious and effective steps to prevent the occurrence and recurrence of such aggressions on diplomatic missions in Iran in the future. The communique reiterated the OIC’s support for all political efforts to achieve permanent settlement to conflicts among member states.
Pakistan has been treading carefully. In March 2015, when Saudi Arabia formed a coalition against Houthis in Yemen, the BBC, quoting the official Saudi press agency, had stated that Pakistan, along with Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan, have all expressed a desire to participate in the operation against rebels in Yemen. However, Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson had a different opinion. In a weekly press briefing, she stated, “I can confirm we have been contacted by Saudi Arabia in this regard. The matter is being examined. That is all I have to say at the moment.” Meanwhile, Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif said that any threat to Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity would evoke a strong response from Pakistan. But it did not join the coalition at that time, and has been avoiding joining any coalition for regime change anywhere in the world.
There are lessons to be learnt from the past. The US, European and Arab countries gave financial help and moral support to Saddam Hussein when Iraq attacked Iran. It was indeed partially due to Saddam Hussein’s adventurism and lust for controlling the region, and partly due to the imperialistic designs of the west. With their support, Iraq emerged as the most powerful country in the Middle East, and was considered a palpable threat to Israel. Therefore, the stage was set to get rid of Saddam Hussein and also to destroy Iraq. After Iraq attacked Kuwait in August 1990, the UN Security Council passed a resolution on November 29, 1990, to take military action against Iraq. In 2003, once again, the US and its allies formed a ‘coalition of the willing’ and attacked Iraq. Pakistan refused to join the coalition as it did not have a mandate from the UN.