Afia Ambreen
Execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, a Shia cleric, escalates tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others were executed after being convicted of terror related offences. Protestors in Iran attacked Saudi Embassy in Tehran and substantially damaged that. Iranian leadership and clergy also criticized the execution of the cleric. In retaliation, Saudi Arabia expelled the Iranian diplomats, bringing an end to the active diplomatic relationship between the two. Some of Saudi allies followed its decision and curtailed their diplomats accordingly. The situation is rapidly escalating and both countries are aligning against each other in the region.
Pakistan has called for a peaceful resolution to escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, offering to act as a mediator for the two Middle Eastern rivals. Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz during a briefing to the National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee on January 12 stated that matters with Saudi Arabia have been settled and Pakistan has decided to refrain from deploying troops to Saudi Arabia or any other country. This statement follows Saudi Arabia’s persistent invocations, evident in the flurry of high-profile visits to the country by Saudi officials in the last two weeks, including a visit by Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir and most significantly Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Minister for Defence Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, to meet Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif to urge assurances of Pakistan’s support in the ‘additional measures’ against Iran that the Saudi Foreign Minister has stated the Sunni kingdom is considering if the Shia state does not change its existing policies. This antagonism between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which has for long played out as proxy wars between the two in Syria and Yemen, has become more explicit after execution of Shia cleric Sheikh al-Nimr, in Saudi Arabia on charges of sedition.
Non-partisan stance of Pakistan has been rightly appreciated in the National Assembly. So far, through diplomacy, the government has been able to paper over Pakistan’s reluctance to step into the spat between the two countries, has managed to placate Saudi Arabia and avoid any resentment from its neighbour Iran. To justify not committing troops, the government has claimed that it is a long-standing policy of the country to not send troops abroad except for UN peacekeeping missions, stating that it has also twice rejected requests by the US to join alliances against the Islamic State.
Deputy Crown Prince and Minister for Defence Mohammad bin Salman, during his visit to Pakistan, discuss bilateral cooperation and regional security matters. He met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif. While this visit provided an opportunity for the two states to reaffirm their bilateral collaboration against terrorism, with the PM lauding Riyadh’s recent initiative to form a 34-member alliance for the purpose, the most significant purpose of this visit was for Saudi Arabia to gain Pakistan’s support in the currently brewing regional discord. The PM reassured Prince Mohammad of Pakistan’s support, emphasizing a peaceful diplomatic solution by offering its good offices for reconciliation efforts between Saudi Arabia and Iran. By referring to the promotion of brotherhood among Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) members, which includes both Iran and Saudi Arabia, the Pakistan government exhibited its concern for regional peace. The COAS followed suit and assured that any threat to the kingdom’s territorial integrity will be strongly opposed by Pakistan.
History shows that Pakistan has several times set aside this policy to come to Saudi’s aid. When the attack on the Kaba’a took place in 1979 and militants had occupied the holy site, Pakistan’s troops helped winkle them out. However, this time Saudi Arabia is expecting support for its foreign adventures on a sectarian basis, which has been rightly refused since it would be imprudent, especially at this point in time when more pressing internal threats exist, to embroil the forces in a conflict that has the potential to become a colossal Wahabi-Shia clash affecting the entire region. The government should remain resolute in its current stance and make efforts to settle this dispute through diplomatic reconciliation.
Already the current dispute has revealed the sectarian divide within our own society, reflected in the pro-Saudi and pro-Iran demonstrations taking place. Being cognizant of the dangers of getting involved in this matter, so far Pakistan’s government has adopted a prudent stance, where while ensuring its commitment to the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia; it has continued to maintain a neutral stance. This is essentially a diplomatic cop out, since Saudi Arabia faces no real threat, making this stand a papering over of Pakistan’s reluctance to get involved. The civil and military leadership appear to be on the same page here. The rejection not so long ago of committing troops to Yemen on Saudi Arabia’s insistence is an indicator that the military too is cognizant of the many internal challenges it cannot afford to get distracted from. This is perhaps the wisest course of action, and Pakistan must stay the course with this neutral stance and offer of mediation because this conflict has the potential to encapsulate the entire region in the raging fire of sectarian hostility.