Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Islamabad in February 2019 allowed the two allies to agree on a series of mega projects worth $20 billion, offering significant relief to Pakistan’s troubled economy.
Apart from that, the Saudi leader’s assertion that the people of Pakistan should consider him their ambassador the Kingdom won millions of hearts, making him one of the most popular international leaders in this country.
While many analysts have hailed the crown prince’s Pakistan visit as a high point in the history of the cordial relations between the two countries, some of them also believe that the best is yet to come in 2020.
Foreign policy and defense collaboration
Pakistan may not be a part of the Middle East, but it has strong linkages with the Islamic world, making it an important ally in the region. It has also expressed a strong desire to play the role of a mediator to help reduce tensions among various countries in the neighborhood, highlighting its vision of peace and harmony among Muslim nations.
According to Imtiaz Gul, a security analyst, “Pakistan’s relations with Saudi Arabia have entered a new phase that is defined by both economic and strategic considerations.” He noted that the South Asian state was “struggling to fix its economy while maintaining balanced relations with all important countries,” though he added that it “must navigate the situation [in Middle East] carefully.”
“While forging new commercial relations, Pakistan should keep its own national interest above everything else,” he said. “This will require careful and smart diplomacy.”
Despite the diplomatic sensitivities in the region, Pakistan’s military has made significant contributions to the security of Gulf states since the 1960s. It has also participated in joint exercises with Saudi Arabia and trained the Kingdom’s soldiers.
Discussing potential avenues for military collaboration, defense expert Shahid Raza told Arab News: “Pakistan’s Al-Khalid 2 main battle tank program offers the two countries a bona fide defense collaboration opportunity, provided that Saudi Arabia funds the development.”
The armored tanks can offer Saudi ground forces a cheaper yet powerful alternative, he said.
“Secondly, Pakistan’s JF-17 Block III combat aircraft can greatly benefit the Saudi Air Force,” Raza noted. “The single-engine JF-17 fighter jet can pull off extreme maneuvers, perform three missions a day and is cheaper to operate.”
He also maintained that Pakistan’s small arms and light weapons industry provided yet another opportunity for collaboration, adding that Islamabad could provide modern infantry weapon to the Kingdom while Saudi Arabia could support the development or acquisition of such military technology.
Religious and cultural affinities
Despite the decades-old ties between the two nations, the connection of a common Pakistani with the Kingdom is religious in nature and tied to Hajj and Umrah. This explains why the Kingdom’s “Makkah route” initiative turned out to be a huge success in Pakistan this year.
The Saudi Vision 2030 program has tremendous potential to bring the two sides together and cooperate in the fields of culture, sports, entertainment and tourism. Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, during his recent visit to the Kingdom, called for enhanced collaboration in parliamentary affairs and trade.
Strategic ties and economic partnership
Home to over 2.6 million Pakistanis, Saudi Arabia tops the list of countries with highest remittances to Pakistan. However, the bilateral trade between the two sides stands at $3.7 billion, which is minuscule compared to the Kingdom’s trade with India that reached about $27.4bn in 2018.
Political economist Shakeel Ahmad Ramay believes “the lack of market study and product diversification and reluctance to venture into new areas” by Pakistani business community are key reasons why the two sides have not realized their true trade potential.
He pointed out that Pakistan could benefit immensely from the business opportunities arising from the Saudi Vision 2030 program. “As Saudi Arabia has made sports a priority, Pakistan’s sports good industry can avail the opportunity,” Ramay continued. “For instance, football is the most popular game in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan produces top quality footballs.”
The Kingdom’s plans to set up a $10 billion oil refinery in Gwadar would not only make it an important partner in $62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor but also boost its access to world markets, he noted.
On the whole, analysts agree that the strong leadership, strategic vision and economic partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have the potential not only to benefit the two countries but also the whole region.
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