Finding the right friends

Pakistan’s foreign policy – or the lack of it – has been a subject of debate for a long time. The problem has come out into the open with the bizarre breakdown in ties between Saudi Arabia and Qatar and the UAE, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain and Yemen following the lead given by Riyadh.

Pakistan is caught in an extremely uncomfortable position. While we have said that we will stay neutral, we do not know how long this will be possible for. The breakdown in the Middle East will inevitably have an impact on a country, which is closely linked to both Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

One problem with these relations is the fact that they are perceived to be based on personal ties rather than practical or rational ones that are intended to benefit the nation as a whole. The Sharif government might not find it easy to ignore Saudi pressure. This has happened before when Raheel Sharif was appointed head of a Saudi-led coalition to ‘protect the kingdom’ – or essentially fight Yemen – and in other instances as well.

This scenario points to the dangers of using personal relations as the basis on which to build links between countries. Pakistan currently enjoys strained relations with two of its key neighbours, India and Afghanistan, and increasingly has similar ties with Iran. This is not a comfortable position to be in. The growing animosity between Saudi Arabia and Iran will add to the pressure faced by Islamabad.

Desperate meetings are taking place round-the-clock in Islamabad to determine what is to be done after the Saudi-led break-off from Qatar amid accusations that the country was involved in backing terrorism. Pakistan also needs to look further and deeper. It must understand that eventually its own stability and the welfare of its own people depends on creating a situation where there are good relations with its neighbours and the countries that are immediately linked to it by geography, history and culture.

Yes, there are distinct problems in creating these bonds with both India and Afghanistan at the present moment, given the hostile positions of the governments in New Delhi and Kabul. Nevertheless, some form of harmony needs to be developed. This would also act as a barrier against the pressures we face from the West and the turbulent events currently shaking the Middle East – a territory to which, it should be noted, we have no direct geographical or cultural connections.

As for Iran – a country which, in some ways, stands at the heart of the Middle East tensions – Pakistan has every reason to develop stronger working ties with it. Iran has, in the first place, a great deal to offer Pakistan. This comes in the form of the fuel the country so desperately needs to reduce the almost unbearable burden of loadshedding on people everywhere and revive its collapsed industrial and power loom sectors, which have suffered as a result of the electricity and gas crisis. Tehran’s willingness to offer help should not be ignored. The fact that it has repeatedly offered its assistance to us indicates the extent to which the powerful Arab states dictate how Islamabad acts and what it does.

To some degree, the contracting out of large projects to China is intended to assist Pakistan in achieving its developmental goals. But we should always remember that no matter how many slogans of Pak-China friendship are pasted onto billboards and roads, Beijing will only be eager to initially safeguard its own interests while helping Pakistan.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Chinese personnel pouring into the country to give effect to the project, will naturally aid China as well as Pakistan. There is no harm in this at all. But it is important to remember the need for diversification and having as many friends as possible across the globe and within the region.

At this stage, Pakistan has very few friends. It cannot really afford to lose others by taking sides in the unexpected split that has torn apart the Arab states. Pakistan has been increasingly isolated over the past two decades, primarily because it is associated with terrorism and viewed as a country which assists the spread of violence.

That one of the people who carried out the recent terrorist attack on London Bridge had a link to Pakistan will certainly not help our situation. Islamabad has been unsuccessful in countering the image portrayed by the world of the country as a nation which gives rise to terrorism. This is one of the reasons why so many countries have shied away from building stronger ties with us.

We appear to be following the pattern of some of the most hard-line Islamic states – even though we lack their economic strength and a close association with the most powerful nations in the West. This is a mistake. We need to analyse ourselves in the first place and assess whether the filter through which we are being seen has been deliberately coloured in some manner or whether the spatters of red which appear on it are the result of our own doings.

A close and honest look must be taken to understand why Pakistan is perceived as a nation suffering from the problem of militancy. If the problem exists in reality – regardless of the military operations and the National Action Plan that is already in place – we need to address it as the first step towards making friends.

With this mission in mind, it is essential that Pakistan handles the current crisis with poise and good sense. This certainly places us in a terribly awkward situation. But all matters of foreign policy should be decided on the basis of what is best for the country and its long-term interests. It is these matters that need to be looked at while we examine our relations with our immediate neighbours and determine what we can do to improve them.

 We may require international help on this front. But it will be easier to find a solution if we do not entangle ourselves in yet another complex set of issues, which carry with them new links to sectarian divisions and militancy.

The writer is a freelance columnist and
former newspaper editor.

Email: kamilahyat@hotmail.com