Sajid Gondal
Pakistan, being the sixth largest army of the world and sole nuclear Muslim state, will assist the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) consisting of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in setting up of a formal ‘ joint security bloc’ to combat any external or internal security threats.
According to reliable military sources, the policy initiative also stressed for a strategic partnership which would also ensure food safety and economic integration. Under this strategy, Pakistan will assist the GCC to further strengthen its existing Peninsula Shield and to raise a force of 100,000 guards that will operate under Joint Defense Council, having its headquarters in Bahrain. Most of the retired Pakistani soldiers would also find employment in the envisaged force.
The joint military bloc would be different from that of Peninsula Shield, as the joint military is being raised for joint efforts to confront threats. Its main goal is to combat the threat from al-Qaida and border incursions from neighboring Yemen.
Pakistan will also assist GCC to up-grade their weapon system and fighting capabilities of the GCC Peninsula shield. The prospects of having new weapon system and unifying military training would also be initiated under this planned joint strategic security bloc. The Saudis are also seeking Chinese-built JF-17 Thunder fighter planes.
The raising of joint military shield was also discussed during the recent visit of Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, who is Saudi Arabia’s deputy prime minister and defense minister. The joint statement issued following the visit of Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz visit said “The two sides also agreed on the need to enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of defense.”
Saudi Arabia’s close military ties with Pakistan, although not new, now have a new dimension. Officials revealed that Saudia Arab fears that one of the unintended consequences of international efforts to reach a nuclear deal with Iran could end economic sanctions on Iran, enabling it to secretly pursue its ambitions. With one of the largest armies in the world and the only declared nuclear power among the Muslim states, Pakistan is in a unique position to assist Saudi Arabia with its defense needs.
It is pertinent to mention here that last year, BBC reported that Saudi Arabia has invested in Pakistan’s nuclear weapons projects. However, both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia denied the report.
Moreover, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are also chalking out a common strategy against terrorism, extremism, human & drugs trafficking and maritime piracy. Human trafficking and maritime piracy have become major security concerns to socio-economic stability, investment inflow and above all energy security in the region. The recently occurred horrible incidents of Somalia pirates badly exposed regional vulnerabilities and security derisory. Therefore, Pakistan-GCC security bloc aims to jointly cope with this widespread menace in the days to come.
Food Security
Pakistan-GCC strategic partnership also looks at solutions for threats of food insecurity and water conservation. Food security has become a burning issue in the region especially in the GCC due to increasing water shortage. According to KSA notification, Saudi Arabia would close self-production of wheat and other food products by 2016 keeping in view the severe shortage of water. This issue could be resolved by utilizing untapped irrigation land in Pakistan. Pakistan will lease out 100,000 acres agricultural land to GCC to produce crops to their needs.
Greater Economic Integration
GCC is one of the main sources of worker remittances to Pakistan. Millions of Pakistanis are employed in these countries. The GCC is also one of the biggest sources of investments and joint ventures in the country. GCC agreed to further boost up the economic integration and to provide more overseas employment opportunities to people of Pakistan for the win-win situation to both sides.
Moreover, Saudi Arabia’s macro-economy stands tall in the ongoing global economic recession, EU/US debt crisis. It extends its resources and financial reserves ($590 billion foreign exchange reserves, the third largest in the world after China and Japan) for the betterment of its people and regional economies. So way forward, for Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is to enhance economic ties for the benefits of both the countries.
Energy Security
GCC agreed to provide Pakistan a long-term oil credit facility valuing about $10 billion. The matter was taken up during the visit of Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal to Pakistan in the first week of January.
At present, Saudi Arabia provides over 10,000 barrels of crude oil per day to Pakistan’s refineries. Annual crude import bill is around $7.5 billion.
Apart from Riyadh, Kuwait will also provide oil on deferred payments of six months that will help Pakistan build its foreign currency reserves.
Arab Spring
In a larger context, Middle East region is passing through its toughest challenge of survival. From Manama to Hama, the political map of the Middle East is being redrawn. The waves of change (Arab Spring) have already produced serious dints in the socio-economic plans and physical landscape in the region. Even the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is feeling the pinch of ongoing Arab Spring and has already lost billions of dollars. It is hoped that the proposed Pakistan-GCC security bloc would be instrumental to maintain law and order, peace, harmony and sovereignty.
Peace in Afghanistan
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have high stakes in bringing peace in unstable Afghanistan. Both the countries can pool their resources to maintain peace in the region at large. The way forward for both the countries is to work jointly for bringing peace in Afghanistan and in the region.
The writer is a team member of monthly Economic Affairs. He can be reached at gondal.sajid@gmail.com
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