Pak-Oman defence co-operation
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Pakistan and Oman have recently signed a memorandum of understanding about bilateral defence co-operation. The sultanate of Oman and Pakistan are maritime neighbors. As the crow flies, Muscat the capital of the Sultanate, is 202 nautical miles from Gwadar.
The Gulf of Oman that lies in between these port cities, starts from the Hormuz Strait which is the gateway to energy rich Gulf shores. This important as well as sensitive area must remain secure and peaceful, in the interests of a smooth transport of energy resources. Apart from the energy exporters and importers, the waters between the two countries is also vital to the world economy.
The Sultanate of Oman is no ordinary country. It became a maritime power in the 17th century that challenged the supremacy of the Portuguese navy. It signed a bilateral treaty with the United States as early as 1833 called the Treaty of Amity and Commerce.
The Sultanate ran an empire that included Zanzibar and Gwadar. Muscat has been a major trading port of the Gulf since a long time and Oman has had trading links with our Makran coast for centuries. Modern Oman has taken long and impressive strides on its way to economic development since 1970. In 2010, the United Nations Development Programme acknowledged Oman as the most improved nation over a span of 40 years.
The Sultanate has followed a policy of peace and friendship with all its neighbors, viz. UAE, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, with good results. This has helped it focus on development and improve the living standards of its citizens.
Both Oman and Pakistan desire peace and tranquility around them in the interests of regional peace. Oman played a vital role in the culmination of a nuclear deal called Joint Plan of Comprehensive Action (JPOCA) between the United States and Iran signed in 2015. Oman also enjoys excellent relations with India.
With the Gwadar deep sea port becoming functional and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects gaining momentum, Pak-Oman bilateral relations can foresee a higher level of interaction. Gulf countries, and Oman is the nearest of them, will be able to export energy to China through this much shorter route.
Javed Hafeez
During my stint as Ambassador of Pakistan in Muscat, we had a naval contingent there for training purposes. Pakistan also actively participated in the international maritime force headquartered in Bahrain. Our naval vessels paid friendly visits to Muscat and Salala quite often. The above-mentioned international force was commanded by Pakistan on a rotation basis. Its mandate was to keep sea lanes safe and secure from the Gulf of Oman to the Gulf of Aden which in those days was infested with pirates operating from the Horn of Africa. The Pakistani naval contingent remains in Oman and is likely to be enhanced in strength, in view of the latest MOU.
With the Gwadar deep sea port becoming functional and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects gaining momentum, Pak-Oman bilateral relations can foresee a higher level of interaction. Gulf countries, and Oman is the nearest of them, will be able to export energy to China through this much shorter route.
Chinese products, imported through this corridor, will be more cost effective because of lower transportation costs. With their centuries old commercial exposure to the world, the Omani public and private sectors are fully aware of the potential benefits of CPEC.
The MOU signed by Secretary General of the Omani Ministry of Defence and Pakistan’s Ambassador on Oct. 20 in Muscat envisages, “Enhancing defence co-operation through exchange of knowledge and expertise in the field of military co-operation, for mutual benefits.”
Both Pakistan and Oman have long coastlines and maritime interests. Oman is Pakistan’s fifth neighbor as our borders meet in the sea. Apart from traditional naval cooperation, knowledge and expertise can also be exchanged by ground and air forces.
A former Omani air force chief once told me that in his reckoning PAF was an outstanding force of the region-- Pakistan’s military has the singular honor of subduing large-scale militancy. Neither Oman nor Pakistan can afford to lower their guard because of their location in a commercially important and strategically sensitive region.
There is a fairly large segment of the Omani population with ethnic links to our Balochistan. Their coveted vocations are military or police service. These soldiers are known for their bravery and tenacity. They proved their mettle during the Dhofar insurgency of 1970’s. I heard several stories of their valor from the Omanis during my memorable stint there-- and that made me very proud.
His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq has continued the policies of his distinguished predecessor-- Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed who believed in friendship with all and enmity towards none. He attached special importance to friendly relations with neighbors and that wise policy helped his country progress by leaps and bounds.
The latest MOU on military cooperation will further cement existing relations between the two neighbouring nations, for their mutual benefit.
– Javed Hafeez is a former Pakistani diplomat with much experience of the Middle East. He writes weekly columns in Pakistani and Gulf newspapers and appears regularly on satellite TV channels as a defense and political analyst.
Twitter: @hafiz_javed
