It's a classic catch 22 situation for the only nuclear armed Islamic Republic on the globe. Saudis being both patron and beneficiary of the Islamic country with one of the strongest military force among them all, are pushing the Nawaz Administration pretty hard to put Pakistani boots on Yemeni grounds. Nawaz Sharif owes the House of Saud big time for getting him off the hook on many occasions, especially once he was removed through a coup led by Pervaiz Musharraf. It was the the House of Saud which secured his release from the military and gave him shelter in their homeland and allowed him to flourish in Saudi Arabia during exile. As well as that, Saudi Arabia houses Makkah and Madina, are two of holiest and most revered sites by Muslims of all sects unanimously thus putting Nawaz Sharif under more pressure to conform by the majority population that have staunch Islamic views,
However, in Pakistan among the influential military and civilian bureaucratic and political elite, the situation at Yemen is largely seen as continuation of the "sectarian conflict" between Sunnis led by Saudi Arabia and Shiites led by Iran. Iran being a large neighbour of Pakistan having direct influence on almost 20% of the Pakistani Shiite population can cause some serious trouble in Pakistan. The influence of Iran in Pakistan through the Pakistani Shiite population has been cultivated over decades of agenda driven through Persian hegemonic desires all over the Middle East. That is why the Pakistani intelligentsia views meddling in Yemen directly as counterproductive and dangerous for Pakistan.
With the emerging threat and ruthless maneuvers of ISIS juju(Daai'sh), which is ulterior Sunni militants organization targeting the Shiite Muslims in particular, a bloody sectarian war at Greater Middle East is already on the horizon. Iran is actively participating in this war against Daai'sh, while Arabian countries led by KSA provided the funds which resulted in the terror network now known as ISIS. Russia and China openly favoured Iran and Bashar Al Assad regime throughout the Syrian crises. USA replied in clandestine manner, allowing circumstances and fabricating situations which led to the redrawing the very map of Middle East. Its a reply which can be termed as a feat for the US for now, accomplished without putting boats on ground but by using KSA's money and Israeli technical support.
The geopolitical quagmire known as Middle East requires books to be understood, yet it revolves around the dirty global oil politics and Shiite-Sunni sectarian conflict with Iran and KSA on the forefront respectively. Iranians are largely driven by its glorious empirical past with Persian hegemony which they are trying to transform into modern day Middle East by maintaining and supporting proxies around the region. KSA on the other hand is driven by the desire of the House of Saud to maintain their lineage of the kingdom guaranteed by the USA for maintaining their "Petro Dollar" as the most dominant global trading currency.
Pakistan is fighting a "War Within" of its own for more then a decade now. The fire in Pakistan is being fueled by her enemies to keep the nuclear armed Islamic republic at bay. It is not in the interest of some regional powers for Pakistan to find civil peace and stability, resulting in the country looking outwards with its strong military, armed with strategic arsenal. Pakistan largely suffers from both the Iranian and Saudi led sectarian proxy armed conflict on the Pakistani land. This conflict substitutes in spreading the cancer of religious extremism and intolerance resulting in terrorism in Pakistan. Both the Shiite and Sunni influential population with in Pakistan understands the precarious nature of the conflict as such. KSA however, houses the holy sites of Islam which needs to be visited as a religious compulsion for Muslims from all sects. Pakistani Armed Forces have been historically committed to the safety of the holy land and in this regard maintains a presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 1970s till date. This deep rooted relationship between Pakistan and KSA can not be ignored which in the minds of Pakistani military, centrally revolves around the protection of the holy lands housing the "Kaaba". On the other hand, upon her independence from the British "Raj", Iran was the first sovereign country to recognize and create diplomatic relations with Pakistan. The bilateral Pak-Iran relationship thrived even in the cold war. Pakistan supported Iran in the Iran-Iraq war. Iran is by far the most friendly neighbour after China that Pakistan can claim to have. Iran also possess effective influence in Pakistan through her Shiite population. Therefore by putting Pakistani boats on Syrian soil with the Saudi backed Yemeni regime and Iranian backed Houthi militia at war there would be highly ill advised. At the same time the protection of the holy lands in KSA are a historic responsibility taken over by Pakistan and established over more then three decades of military presence in the Kingdom of Saudi. This responsibility affords Pakistan a dominant regional role strengthening her geopolitical value and bringing dividends to the Pakistani economy as a whole. The role of the Pakistani Armed Forces and nationals in KSA should be thus allowed to continue and flourish in the best interest of the Pakistani economy and religious ideology and their role within the conflict should not be influenced by the personal agendas of separate religious ideologies or individuals.
However, in Pakistan among the influential military and civilian bureaucratic and political elite, the situation at Yemen is largely seen as continuation of the "sectarian conflict" between Sunnis led by Saudi Arabia and Shiites led by Iran. Iran being a large neighbour of Pakistan having direct influence on almost 20% of the Pakistani Shiite population can cause some serious trouble in Pakistan. The influence of Iran in Pakistan through the Pakistani Shiite population has been cultivated over decades of agenda driven through Persian hegemonic desires all over the Middle East. That is why the Pakistani intelligentsia views meddling in Yemen directly as counterproductive and dangerous for Pakistan.
With the emerging threat and ruthless maneuvers of ISIS juju(Daai'sh), which is ulterior Sunni militants organization targeting the Shiite Muslims in particular, a bloody sectarian war at Greater Middle East is already on the horizon. Iran is actively participating in this war against Daai'sh, while Arabian countries led by KSA provided the funds which resulted in the terror network now known as ISIS. Russia and China openly favoured Iran and Bashar Al Assad regime throughout the Syrian crises. USA replied in clandestine manner, allowing circumstances and fabricating situations which led to the redrawing the very map of Middle East. Its a reply which can be termed as a feat for the US for now, accomplished without putting boats on ground but by using KSA's money and Israeli technical support.
The geopolitical quagmire known as Middle East requires books to be understood, yet it revolves around the dirty global oil politics and Shiite-Sunni sectarian conflict with Iran and KSA on the forefront respectively. Iranians are largely driven by its glorious empirical past with Persian hegemony which they are trying to transform into modern day Middle East by maintaining and supporting proxies around the region. KSA on the other hand is driven by the desire of the House of Saud to maintain their lineage of the kingdom guaranteed by the USA for maintaining their "Petro Dollar" as the most dominant global trading currency.
Pakistan is fighting a "War Within" of its own for more then a decade now. The fire in Pakistan is being fueled by her enemies to keep the nuclear armed Islamic republic at bay. It is not in the interest of some regional powers for Pakistan to find civil peace and stability, resulting in the country looking outwards with its strong military, armed with strategic arsenal. Pakistan largely suffers from both the Iranian and Saudi led sectarian proxy armed conflict on the Pakistani land. This conflict substitutes in spreading the cancer of religious extremism and intolerance resulting in terrorism in Pakistan. Both the Shiite and Sunni influential population with in Pakistan understands the precarious nature of the conflict as such. KSA however, houses the holy sites of Islam which needs to be visited as a religious compulsion for Muslims from all sects. Pakistani Armed Forces have been historically committed to the safety of the holy land and in this regard maintains a presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 1970s till date. This deep rooted relationship between Pakistan and KSA can not be ignored which in the minds of Pakistani military, centrally revolves around the protection of the holy lands housing the "Kaaba". On the other hand, upon her independence from the British "Raj", Iran was the first sovereign country to recognize and create diplomatic relations with Pakistan. The bilateral Pak-Iran relationship thrived even in the cold war. Pakistan supported Iran in the Iran-Iraq war. Iran is by far the most friendly neighbour after China that Pakistan can claim to have. Iran also possess effective influence in Pakistan through her Shiite population. Therefore by putting Pakistani boats on Syrian soil with the Saudi backed Yemeni regime and Iranian backed Houthi militia at war there would be highly ill advised. At the same time the protection of the holy lands in KSA are a historic responsibility taken over by Pakistan and established over more then three decades of military presence in the Kingdom of Saudi. This responsibility affords Pakistan a dominant regional role strengthening her geopolitical value and bringing dividends to the Pakistani economy as a whole. The role of the Pakistani Armed Forces and nationals in KSA should be thus allowed to continue and flourish in the best interest of the Pakistani economy and religious ideology and their role within the conflict should not be influenced by the personal agendas of separate religious ideologies or individuals.
an informative article to vividly understand core issue in its true per perspective.
ReplyDeleteGood analysis and informative piece of article. This is a sectarian war and Pakistan cannot afford to add to its already serious sectarian tensions.
ReplyDeleteThank You dear but I consider it to be more of a war of empirical influence in the garb of sectarianism.
DeleteWonderful, but despite all these realities why Pakistan’s leadership (civil as well as military) is not clearly trying to avoid from immersion in perplexing crisis of Yemen?
ReplyDeleteDear Sir, the issue is as complex as you know it to be. Army can foresee a sectarian threat to Pakistan and advising the same to NS Govt. Nawaz Sharif Clan is highly integrated with the House of Saud in their own benefit. The decision should be taken with the public consent which is clearly lacking to put Pakistani boots on Yemeni soil. Iran is a brotherly country and Pakistan must maintain existing goodwill it posses with the Iranians. Pakistan must not meddle in the war of empirical influence at the Middle East. We have enough firefighting already at hands domestically and after USA, the largest foreign deployment of Armed Forces around the globe already. The USA is clearly taking part in the Saudi led offensive at Yemen. Taking part in this coalition will only antagonize our direct neighbour, Iran. However, in my opinion, Pakistani Armed Forces will be reinforced at KSA at most as result of this crisis. KSA already enjoys the technical and training/consultancy support of Pakistani Armed Forces stationed all across that country. With Millions of Pakistanis working at KSA and sending home remittances, it is only natural for the Pakistani Army to continue and if need be, reinforce its role, at KSA. The need is to develop the same level of bilateral interaction between Iran and Pakistan, in the best interest of both the countries. Their is great room in that direction and economic benefits to be reaped by Pakistan. The current smuggling of goods between both the countries only benefits individuals, which need to be regularized in the face of US double faced policies. Iran needs to further diversify her presence constructively in Pakistan for such an atmosphere to exist.
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