How Pakistan has ruptured ties with Saudi Arabia over its attempts to peddle Kashmir

After Pakistan was left humiliated by its long-standing ally Saudi Arabia with Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud refusing to even meet General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the country has now run to its all-weather friend China. Sources report that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has flown to China for a two-day summit to "strengthen relations" with the Communist country days after General Bajwa was snubbed by the Crown Prince, who not only refused to honour him with a medal, but also refused to grant him an audience.

Pakistan has been facing the brunt of its own misdeeds after motormouth Foreign Minister threatened to split open the OIC if Saudi Arabia did not convene a meeting over Kashmir. Since then, the country has been desperately trying to mend bridges with the Arab nation. However, the revocation of Saudi Arabia's three-year financial package to Pakistan is being seen as the final nail in the coffin of Islamabad's shattered ties with Riyadh.

While speaking to RepublicTv, SP Vaid, who has served as the former DGP for J&K, spilt details on how Pakistan was not only isolated but 'frustrated' by the complete and utter failure of its policy on Kashmir. "Pakistan is increasingly getting isolated and today with an ally like Saudi Arabia, their relationship is at its lowest after the threat given by Pakistan's foreign minister over the call for an OIC meeting on Kashmir. This indicates their frustration and failure on their foreign policy and Kashmir. In fact, their own Minister admitted that Pakistan's Kashmir policy is a big failure."

Pakistan's failed agenda on Kashmir

Pakistan has been, since kingdom come, trying to use the OIC to further its agenda against India. Qureshi's threat of Prime Minister Imran Khan pulling out friendly nations from the OIC to convene a meeting over Kashmir backfired massively on the debt-ridden nation since Saudi Arabia has maintained healthy relations with India. Last year, PM Modi was conferred with the highest civilian award by Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud at the Royal Court where they held extensive talks on a range of bilateral, regional and international issues. Also, as Pakistan tries to pull weight by feeding the Islam angle to the OIC, Saudia Arabia and the Arab world is well aware that India has the second-highest population of Muslims in the world, home to over 180 million people who practise Islam. 

With Pakistan neck-deep in debts, hell has also befallen Qureshi, with rumours of him being kicked out as the Foreign Minister circulating widely. This, also after he slapped Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Azam Khan over a heated exchange of words. It seems like Qureshi aims to take down the last bits of the nation's respect along with him on his exit.

"The nations (OIC) have realised that Pakistan's agenda is something different. Qureshi saying that don't call meeting on Kashmir, we will call our friendly nations, we can see what has happened. Pakistan Army Chief Bajwa was then sent to Saudi Arabia to mend fences, he was not even given audience by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, this is the level at which their relationship has fallen," opined Sp Vaid adding that Saudi Arabia also had its own interests and foreign policy with India.

Pakistan's obsession with the narrative of Kashmir has not only severely hurt its foreign policy but also its business dealings with countries like Saudi Arabia which is seen as a de-facto leader of the Islamic world, that provided bounties of financial assistance and oil to the former for decades. The flashpoint with Pakistan also comes at a time when the isolated nation already owes millions and billions of dollars to Saudi Arabia, desperately borrowing from China to pay back its debts.

Today as Pakistan stands isolated in the global community it is extremely important for the country to revisit its foreign policy on Kashmir and its relentless agenda against India which has borne no fruits for the nation apart from rupturing its ties with countries worldwide.

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