ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Pakistan’s minister for information Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday said the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and the UAE had both played a “commendable” role in helping to defuse tensions between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan last week in what is being called their worst standoff in decades.
Last week, escalation of hostilities between the arch-rivals, including aerial dogfights and heavy shelling along the border, nearly brought them to the brink of war.
It all began with a suicide bomb attack in the Pulwama district of Indian-administered Kashmir in which at least 40 Indian troopers were killed on February 14. After a Pakistan-based militant group took responsibility, India promised a “strong response.
On Saturday, tensions appeared to cool down after Pakistan handed back a captured Indian fighter pilot on Friday night. But shelling continued across the Line of Control border that divides Kashmir Valley into two, one administered by Pakistan, the other by India.
“Saudi Arabia, UAE and other Muslim countries have been a great help,” Chaudhry said in an interview to Arab News when asked about the role of the Arab world in defusing recent tensions.
He thanked the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and UAE for their “commendable” role during the crisis.
Chaudhry also welcomed the resolution adopted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) supporting Pakistan’s position on the Kashmir dispute, adding that the endorsement proved the Arab world’s commitment to ties with Pakistan.
The OIC’s 46th Council of Foreign Ministers on Saturday adopted a resolution that “endorsed Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir” and condemned what it described as “Indian terrorism” in the disputed region.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars, two of them over the disputed Kashmir region, which they both claim in full but administer in part.
“From the recent OIC resolutions asking for Kashmir resolution and condemning India ... it is evident that the Arab world cares about its relations with Pakistan,” the information minister said. “We are bonded by religion and have a very close economic and strategic relationship … every crisis actually strengthens this relationship."
However, international affairs experts said Pakistan had expected a “better and visible” response from Muslim states, especially the Arab world, in the past week.
“We don’t deny the importance of India for the Arab World due to its big market for Arab investors,” former ambassador Shahid M. Amin said. “However in a situation when Pakistan’s policy is that of restraint against India’s policy of escalation we were expecting that the response of the Arab world should have been more visible.”
Since taking office in 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to use India’s fast-growing economy to attract more investment from Islamic nations, particularly Saudi Arabia.
Professor Dr. Talat A. Wizarat, a scholar of international relations, said, it was understandable that many countries wanted to remain neutral in the crisis, “but when we are on the brink of nuclear war, the [Arab] countries should come forward.”
“We condemned Pulwama as an act of terrorism, we are ready to take action against all elements who are involved in terrorism, we released the Indian pilot,” Wizarat said. “In this situation, we were expecting more visible support.”
But analyst Qamar Cheema said “Pakistan must not put more burden on Arab states as they are already giving us economic assistance.”
Last year, Saudi Arabia offered Pakistan a $6-billion bailout package, and the UAE provided a similar-sized package. During a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Pakistan in February, the two countries signed agreements worth $21 billion.
