Exploiting Pakistan’s diplomatic blunder CENJOWS 30 Dec 19
https://cenjows.gov.in/article-detail?id=231
Exploiting Pakistan’s diplomatic blunder CENJOWS 30 Dec 19
Having an inexperienced Prime Minister can lead to a downfall in international institutions and standing, despite having experienced aides. That is exactly what happened to Imran Khan. On the side lines of the UN General Assembly, where he rambled on and on about nuclear warfare and genocide, he also met the leaders from Malaysia and Turkey and jointly proposed the conduct of a summit in Kuala Lumpur and its agenda. The ultimate plan was to launch a TV channel to counter Islamophobia, which never came about. The summit was an attempt to bond nations on grounds of religion. It was first such summit where the Pak Prime Minister had decided to play a key role, without even contemplating its repercussions.
The Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) already exists and regularly discusses issues pertaining to the Muslim world. Opening a new organization and raising the same topics was unlikely to be accepted as it could split internal unity. That is exactly what happened and led to Pakistan being shamed in the global community.
At the end of the day, the Kuala Lumpur summit achieved nothing except highlighting differences within the community. Even Malaysia, as the hosts, lost out as the Saudi’s were angry with them for trying to break the existing OIC. Indonesia, the nation with the largest Muslim population, at the last moment dropped the idea of sending their deputy vice-president claiming he was suffering from exhaustion. Indonesia too is banking on Saudi funding for its projects. There was not a single African or Arab state apart from Qatar in the summit.
Within the OIC there is already a fight for supremacy and domination. Traditionally, the OIC is led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Competing for leadership are Iran and Turkey. Iran and Saudi Arabia remain sworn enemies. Turkey has the second largest military force in NATO and seeks to dominate the Muslim world, while Malaysia wants to be a major player in the game. Qatar, which has multiple disputes with Saudi is a willing nation to join any group which threatens the power of the Saudi’s. Into this waded Pakistan, a nation banking on Saudi largesse for survival, hoping to expand its role in the Muslim world.
The split in the Muslim world was evident in the summit. Turkey and Qatar seek the overthrowing of the current regimes in Saudi Arabia and UAE left no opportunity to criticise them. Iran faces crippling sanctions and supports groups which currently battle Saudi backed forces in Yemen and US interests in Iraq and Syria. They would leave no opportunity to accuse Saudi and the US. Iran and Qatar are close allies, and both are enemies of Saudi Arabia and UAE.
It is surprising that despite an established diplomat like SM Qureshi as their foreign minister Pak diplomacy still blundered, unless Imran was falsely led by Qureshi, hoping the Saudi’s would demand his removal and Qureshi would take his place. It was a major blunder to say the least and left Pakistan diplomatically embarrassed, as Imran had to cancel his attendance at the last moment, under Saudi pressure. It was even worse when Pak was unrepresented at the summit, despite being one of its original participants.
The humiliation was complete when Imran was summoned by the Saudi Prince and ticked off, leading to his cancelling the summit at the eleventh hour.
Zahid Hussain, a noted Pakistani columnist, wrote in the Dawn Newspaper of Pakistan on 25th Dec, ‘The entire episode reflects a new low in our diplomacy. It happens when institutional processes are set aside to accommodate the quirks of an individual. It is a voodoo foreign policy that has caused us loss of credibility among friendly countries.’ He added, ‘What could be more humiliating for a sovereign nation than to accept the dictates of another country? It has been a loss of face from all sides.’
The Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially commented that Pak backed out because Saudi Arabia threatened to close the economic tap. He revealed how Saudi pressured Pakistan to shun the summit by threatening to send 4 million Pakistani workers back and replace them with Bangladeshis as also withdraw billions of dollars from the State Bank of Pakistan. While both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia denied the same, it is reality. The begging bowl with which Imran moves, opens the country to being dominated by others.
Pakistan should have seen that from the outset the Saudi’s were against the summit. It had to choose sides. It could not do as India has done by balancing its relations with opposing blocks. On one hand Modi discusses strategic relations and enhancing defence ties with the US and Japan and the very next day discusses the same with China and Russia. If Imran thought he could copy Modi and prove himself as a statesman, he was wrong. He can never be the same, nor can Pakistan replicate Indian foreign policies.
India is a growing power, militarily and economically, and the world recognizes it. It is economically stable and does not bank on any nation for support. Modi’s charisma is global, while Imran sounds like a wolf in Yellowstone Park, howling alone. Pak on the other hand is deep in debt, struggling to survive. It needs the alms which the Saudi’s provide, hence must do their bidding.
To assuage Pak and provide Imran with a face saver, the Saudi foreign minister, visited Pak and stated that Saudi is contemplating calling a foreign ministers conference of the OIC to discuss Kashmir, most likely in Apr 2020. This is after Saudi Arabia and the UAE have repeatedly mentioned that the Kashmir decision is an internal matter of India. Further selective criticism of India, ignoring China and Yemen where Muslims are hounded, killed, tortured and jailed, implies ignoring it.
India has been facing criticism from Turkey and Malaysia, both of whom have been towing the Pak line as also preventing it from being blacklisted in the FATF. Al Jazeera, a news channel, based in Qatar has also been critical of Indian actions. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have stood by India. The failure of the Kuala Lumpur summit implies that Saudi Arabia and the UAE will continue to dominate the OIC. There are still four months to go for the proposed summit. Whether it is held, or the comment was only to assuage Pak feelings remains to be seen.
India therefore needs to maintain its engagement with these nations to ensure that the leaders of the Muslim world remain on its side and make no concerning statement on India. This will push Pak into further desperation and isolation. China has been able to win the OIC over, hence the Uighur concentration camps are never discussed, and Chinese actions backed by all OIC nations. The same should be our approach.
About the Author
Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar
Retired Major General Indian Army