As Pakistan and Saudi Arabia move away, China moves in – BRINK – Global Affairs Conversations and Perspectives

A growing schism between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan portends new alliances in the Muslim world.

Relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are at an all-time low. In November 2018, Saudi Arabia announced a $ 6.2 billion loan program for cash-strapped Pakistan. The package included a total of $ 3 billion in loans and an oil credit facility in the amount of $ 3.2 billion. Then, however, Riyadh required repayment of the $ 3 billion loan and refused to sell oil to Islamabad on a deferred basis. In response, Pakistan immediately returned $ 1 billion to the Saudis, signaling a distancing from Riyadh.

Apparently, the differences between the two countries emerged after Saudi Arabia sided with India during recent tensions over Kashmir. But that’s not the only irritant in Saudi-Pakistani relations. In fact, what raised eyebrows in Riyadh was Pakistan’s inclination towards Turkey and Malaysia, which have become new leaders in the Muslim world and strongly support Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, while condemning India’s treatment of the Kashmiri people.

Enter China, which has won support from cash-strapped Pakistan in a standoff with Saudi Arabia. With a strategic shift from Saudi Arabia to Turkey and Malaysia, China appears to be pushing Pakistan to rule the Muslim world.

Saudi-Pakistani relations apparently deteriorated when Saudi Arabia rejected Pakistan’s request to convene a special meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to discuss Kashmir. The declaration by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on television this month further rocked bilateral relations when he warned Pakistan would be forced to take it in hand: “If you can’t summon him [a special meeting on Kashmir], then I will be obliged to ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to support us on the Kashmir issue and support the oppressed Kashmiris.

The deterioration of relations had already started in December last year, when, under Saudi pressure, Pakistan withdrew from an international summit of Muslim leaders held in Malaysia. The summit was hosted by then Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Kuala Lumpur and brought together dozens of world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to discuss current issues in the Muslim world.

President Erdoğan, however, disclosed that Prime Minister Khan – who had been a key player at the summit – withdrew from the meeting after Saudi Arabia issued economic threats against Pakistan. President Erdoğan claimed that Saudi Arabia threatened to fire four million Pakistanis working in Saudi Arabia and also withdraw $ 3 billion from Pakistan’s central bank. Riyadh had reservations about the Malaysian summit as it was not organized within the framework of the OIC, which could divide the “Ummah” or the Muslim community.

Although economically weak, Pakistan has been a strong military ally of Saudi Arabia. The country’s former army chief, General Raheel Sharif, is still the commander of the Saudi-led Islamic Military Coalition Against Terrorism (IMCTC). Pakistan is also the the only state with nuclear weapons in the Muslim world.

There is an opening for China to make inroads into the Muslim world and extend its influence through this emerging new bloc.

Saudi friendship, however, came at a price for Pakistan. Riyadh played a key role in the growth of the radical and jihadist mentality by financing harsh “madrassas” (religious schools) in Pakistan. Financial aid valued to $ 100 million a year Arab countries continued to strengthen an extremist recruiting network in Pakistan.

Pakistan has paid dearly for its war on extremism, both economically and in human lives. The Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have killed thousands of Pakistani citizens, including security agents, in hundreds of terrorist attacks across the country. The country finally launched a full-fledged military operation in 2015 in its northwest tribal belt along the Afghan border.

Today, however, Pakistan appears to have decided not to be swayed by the Saudis over its relations with Turkey, Iran and Malaysia. Islamabad’s decision to repay the Saudi loan appears to have been prompted by its strategic partner and all-time friend, China.

The “Malaysian summit” has indeed raised fears in Riyadh that the meeting of Muslim leaders could lead to the creation of a new bloc that would rival the 57 current OIC member states. And with the OIC’s failure to resolve important issues and disputes in the Muslim world, the new bloc is in fact threatening the status of Saudi leader in the Muslim world. Regarding the annexation of the disputed territory of Kashmir by India last year, the response of the OIC was essentially “Oh, I see! “

Frustrated by the organization’s recklessness and its effective takeover by Arab leaders, many Muslim countries, including Pakistan, feel the need for a stronger and more active OIC to defend the interests of the Muslim world in the country. broad sense, something akin to NATO.

China appears to be an active force behind these shifting alliances. Beijing is on the verge of finalizing a massive 25-year strategic partnership agreement with Tehran, involving $ 400 billion in Chinese investments in Iran. While the current OIC leaders have a strong relationship with the United States, there is an opportunity for China to make inroads into the Muslim world and expand its influence through this emerging new bloc.

Ironically, would the countries of the new Islamic bloc raise the issue of China’s persecution of Uyghur Muslims? Or would they remain silent, again victims of geopolitical power games?

A version of this piece was originally published in The interpreter.