Pakistan–Saudi Arabia relations
Pakistan |
Saudi Arabia |
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Saudi Arabia has previously exported the world's most wanted man to Pakistan, been complicit in workers abuse and shared neglible amounts of oil to solve energy shortage in the poorer country.[6][7][8]
History
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have sought to develop extensive commercial, cultural, religious, political, and strategic relations since the
and the destination of Muslim pilgrims from across the world.According to a Pew Research Center survey, Pakistanis hold the most favorable perception of Saudi Arabians in the world, with 9 of 10 respondents viewing Saudi Arabia favorably.[9] The kingdom has often tried to further enhance its relations with Pakistan by giving it gifts and loans. Often these are gifts with symbolic religious value. For example, in 2014 Saudi Arabia gave Pakistan 200 tonnes of dates as a gesture of friendship.[10]
On 2 April 2014,
2019 Saudi visit to Pakistan
The Saudi Crown Prince, Muhammad bin Salman, visited Pakistan in February 2019.[13] Pakistan was the first stop of the Crown Prince's journey to Pakistan and India. While there, the Crown Prince received a gold-plated submachine gun from members of the Pakistani Senate.[13] The most important part of the visit was to sign an agreement to establish a $10 billion refinery and petrochemicals complex in Gwadar.[14][13]
Political relations
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are leading members of the
With Pakistan, it provided extensive financial and political support to the
Economic relations
Saudi Arabia is the largest source of
In 2018 Saudi Arabia agreed to establish an oil refinery at Gwadar, with a proposed capacity of 500,000 barrels per day.[24][25] In 2019, Saudi Arabia paid $20 billion to finance developmental projects in Pakistan.[26] However, Saudi Arabia had to end the loan and oil supply deal including forcing Pakistan to repay $1 billion loan, amidst the latter's criticism that the Saudi Arabia led Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was not doing enough to pressure India on the Kashmir issue.[27] In 2023, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a MEMO to build the oil refinery in Gwadar. It will be one of the biggest in Pakistan. [28][29][30]
During
Expat Pakistani labour
Pakistan has one of the highest numbers of human capital sent over to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia provides Pakistan with economic aid and investments, and there are around two million Pakistani workers in Saudi Arabia, making the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's second-largest migrant community. The Pakistani diaspora living in Saudi Arabia sends back remittances of 5.8 billion dollars back to Pakistan. However, many are poor laborers who are exploited by recruiters and agencies, and some are forced, coerced, or duped into drug smuggling. Leading to Saudi Arabia having some of the largest numbers of Pakistanis in their jail, which led to previous Prime Minister Imran Khan raising the issue with the Saudis.
However, Pakistani officials rarely visit these prisons, unlike officials from other countries. Though Saudi Arabia and Pakistan share friendly relations, the Saudi government shows apathy towards the treatment of Pakistani migrants. The Saudi government violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations since they are supposed to inform Pakistani officials when they arrest Pakistani citizens. Also, Pakistani relatives have little contact with the arrested Pakistani prisoners or prison officials retrieve the bodies after an execution.[32] Pakistanis face poor treatment from their supervisors, which results in grievance for diaspora population, with some complaints starting right from the airport.[33]
Energy relations
There has traditionally been very little Arab sharing of oil with Pakistan despite the Muslim partnerships. There has been very little energy investment from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan and no investment in Baluchistan energy exploration.
Petroleum
In February 2019, Saudi Arabia's Saudi Aramco and SABIC announced to set up a US$10 billion oil refinery and Petrochemical industry in Pakistan's deepwater port of Gwadar, Balochistan.[34][35] It would also help refine and store imported oil for onward transportation to China and develop fuel supply chain for the landlocked Central Asian states. Fuel transportation to China through Pakistan would take just 7 days as opposed to the western route through Indian Ocean which takes almost 40 days.[36]
Mining
Saudi Arabia is thought to possibly invest in Reko Diq Mine.[37] It is a large copper mine located in the west of Pakistan in Balochistan. Reko Diq represents one of the largest copper reserves in Pakistan and in the world having estimated reserves of 5.9 billion tonnes of ore grading 0.41% copper. The mine also has gold mining reserves amounting to 41.5 million oz.[38]
Security relations
Pakistan maintains close military ties with Saudi Arabia, providing extensive support, arms, and training for the
In the 1970s and 1980s, during the
According to Bruno Tertrais, a researcher for the EU Non-Proliferation Consortium, during informal discussions held in 2005 former Pakistan National Command Authority officials have said that deploying Pakistan nuclear warheads in Saudi Arabia would be "worse than the Cuban missile crisis." Tertrais concludes that there is no hard evidence in the public domain of any nuclear cooperation between the two countries.[44]
In 2023, Saudi officials arrested and deported up to 12,000 Afghans living illegally in their country carrying fake Pakistani passports.[45]
Pakistan rejected a request from Saudi Arabia to contribute troops to the
Pakistani troops in Saudi Arabia
Between 1982 and 1987, Pakistan stationed approximately 20,000 servicemen in Saudi Arabia to defend Islamic holy sites.
In February 2018, Pakistan announced that it would be sending troops to Saudi Arabia on a "training and advise mission".[46]
Military procurement
Saudi Arabia is the largest importer of Pakistani arms and has purchased small and medium conventional weaponry worth millions of US Dollars. In 2016, Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) secured an export order worth US$81 million to Saudi Arabia.[49]
Cultural relations
Saudi Arabia has also provided extensive religious and educational aid to Pakistan, being a major contributor to the construction of mosques and
Since 1947, the political parties have been receiving funding for their political activities in the country. The major Pakistani city of
In 2006, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was awarded the Nishan-e-Pakistan, the highest civilian decoration of Pakistan.[52]
See also
- Foreign relations of Pakistan
- Foreign relations of Saudi Arabia
- Iran-Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
- India-Saudi Arabia relations
References
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- ISBN 9780670021185.
Saudi Arabia's closest Muslim and Non Arab ally, Pakistan
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- ^ Saudi Arabia’s Image Falters among Middle East Neighbors Pew Research Global Attitudes Project
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- ^ Reavealed [sic]: It was Saudi Arabia that loaned Pakistan $1.5 billion to shore up reserves
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- ^ Zahra-Malik, Mehreen (March 13, 2014). "Saudi Arabia loans Pakistan $1.5 billion to shore up economy". Reuters – via www.reuters.com.
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- ^ "Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to sign $15b Gwadar oil refinery deal in Feb | SAMAA". Samaa TV.
- ^ "Gwadar refinery to feed China, C Asia markets". The Express Tribune. March 3, 2019.
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- ^ https://www.dhakatribune.com/world/world-others/328096/saudi-arabia-recovers-12-000-pakistani-passports
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- The National., does not make the numbers public, experts say there are as many as 70,000 Pakistanis serving across the Saudi military services at any one time.
Although the kingdom, like other Persian Gulf countries
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