patrick.net

Pakistan has traditionally maintained that its bilateral relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is its “most important diplomatic relationship.” Developments in Saudi Arabia last week appear to have hinged to a significant degree on the close relationship that the Kingdom shares with the Pakistani military.

Besides both being members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the two have long maintained a strong military relationship. Pakistani military personnel frequently serve in Saudi Arabia and its last army chief, General Raheel Sharif, now heads a 41-nation Islamic army coalition based out of Riyadh. Sharif’s accession was seen as Islamabad picking sides with Saudi Arabia against Iran.

Riyadh has been actively pursuing Islamabad’s military resources on two counts: its own territorial integrity, and Pakistan’s participation in the Islamic Military Alliance against Terrorism (IMAT), the aforementioned organization commanded by General Sharif.

While both civil and military officials maintain that Pakistan has conveyed its unflinching neutrality to Riyadh, vis-à-vis Iran, in reality Islamabad is treading a fine line. “Even if the Pakistani troops aren’t physically involved in an attack on Iran – or in Yemen, Qatar or Lebanon – the fact that we are bolstering Saudi defense domestically naturally makes us an integral part of their camp,” a retired Army officer told Asia Times. “When Pakistani troops are positioned to protect areas being shelled by Houthi rebels, they are technically guarding Saudi boundaries, but we’re also clearly picking our side in the conflict.”


More: http://www.atimes.com/article/deep-ties-pakistans-military-helped-saudi-purge/

#GeoPolitics #Pakistan #SaudiArabia #MiddleEast