- Pakistan–Saudi Arabia relations
The bilateral relations between the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and theIslamic Republic of Pakistan are close and friendly. As two of the world's leadingIslamic countries, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have sought to develop extensive commercial, cultural, religious and strategic relations. A Muslim-majority state, Pakistan has sought to develop close bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia, the largest country on theArabian peninsula and home to the two holiest cities ofIslam ,Mecca andMedina and the destination of Muslim pilgrims from across the world.Development of bilateral relations
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are leading members of the
Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Saudi Arabia was one of the strongest supporters of Pakistan during Pakistan's wars with India, especially opposing the creation ofBangladesh from Pakistan's eastern wing in 1971.cite book |author=Prithvi Ram Mudiam |title=India and the Middle East |accessdate=2008-06-04 |pages=88-94|publisher=British Academic Press |year=1994 |isbn=1850437033] While it had supported Pakistan's stance on theKashmir conflict , it has since endorsed the Indo-Pakistani peace process. With Pakistan, it provided extensive financial and political support to theTaliban and theAfghan mujahideen fighting theSoviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s.cite book |title=Pakistan: Democracy, Development and Security Issues|author=Dr. Veena Kukreja, Mahendra Prasad Singh|pages=248|year=2005|publisher=Sage Publications|isbn=0761934170] [http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2008/0128_saudi_arabia_riedel.aspx Saudi Arabia: Nervously Watching Pakistan] ] cite book |author=Prithvi Ram Mudiam |title=India and the Middle East |accessdate=2008-06-04 |pages=88-94|publisher=British Academic Press |year=1994 |isbn=1850437033] During the 1991-92 Persian Gulf War, Pakistan sent troops to protect the Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia, but strains developed when some Pakistani politicians and Gen.Mirza Aslam Beg , the then-chief of staff of thePakistani army openly expressed support forSaddam Hussein 's regime inIraq and its invasion ofKuwait . [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+pk0141) Pakistan - Middle East] ] Along with theUnited Arab Emirates , Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were the only states to recogniseTaliban rule inAfghanistan . In May 1998, before Pakistan'sChagai-I nuclear tests, Saudi Arabia promised to supply 50,000 barrels per day of free oil to help Pakistan cope with likely economic sanctions in the aftermath. [http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2008/0128_saudi_arabia_riedel.aspx Saudi Arabia: Nervously Watching Pakistan] ]Military cooperation
Pakistan maintains close military ties with Saudi Arabia, providing extensive support, arms and training for the
Military of Saudi Arabia . [http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2008/0128_saudi_arabia_riedel.aspx Saudi Arabia: Nervously Watching Pakistan] ] Pilots of thePakistan Air Force flew aircraft of theRoyal Saudi Air Force to repel an incursion fromSouth Yemen in 1969. In the 1970s and 1980s, approximately 15,000 Pakistani soldiers were stationed in the kingdom. [http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2008/0128_saudi_arabia_riedel.aspx Saudi Arabia: Nervously Watching Pakistan] ] Saudi Arabia has negotiated the purchase of Pakistaniballistic missile s capable of carryingnuclear warheads . [http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2008/0128_saudi_arabia_riedel.aspx Saudi Arabia: Nervously Watching Pakistan] ] It is also speculated that Saudi Arabia secretly funded Pakistan's nuclear programme and seeks to purchaseatomic weapons from Pakistan to enable it to counteract possible threats from arsenals of theweapons of mass destruction possessed byIran ,Iraq andIsrael .cite book |title=Allah's Bomb: The Islamic Quest for Nuclear Weapons|author=Al J. Venter|pages=150-53|year=2007|publisher=Globe Pequot|isbn=1599212056] [http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/EK07Ak01.html Saudi Arabia's nuclear gambit] ] [http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/saudi/index.html Saudi Arabia Special Wars] ] Both nations have received high-level delegations of scientists, government and military experts seeking to study the development of a nuclear programme.cite book |title=Allah's Bomb: The Islamic Quest for Nuclear Weapons|author=Al J. Venter|pages=150-53|year=2007|publisher=Globe Pequot|isbn=1599212056] [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/sep/18/nuclear.saudiarabia Saudis consider nuclear bomb] ] [http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2008/0128_saudi_arabia_riedel.aspx Saudi Arabia: Nervously Watching Pakistan] ]Cultural and commercial ties
Saudi Arabia has also provided extensive religious and educational aid to Pakistan, being a major contributor to the construction of mosques and
madrassa s (religious schools) across Pakistan, theFaisal Mosque (dedicated to KingFaisal of Saudi Arabia ) inIslamabad , the capital of Pakistan. The major Pakistani city ofLyallpur was also renamedFaisalabad in honour of King Faisal in 1977. Saudi Arabia remains a major destination for immigration amongst Pakistanis, the number of whom living in Saudi Arabia stands between 900,000 and 1 million. [ [http://www.un.org/esa/population/meetings/EGM_Ittmig_Arab/P02_Kapiszewski.pdf Arab versus Asian migrant workers in the GCC countries] ] [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2742/is_367/ai_n24987374 Riyadh look to Asian trade] ] Saudi Arabia was a major supporter of the "Islamisation" programme of the military ruler Gen.Zia-ul-Haq in the 1970s. In 2006, KingAbdullah of Saudi Arabia was awarded theNishan-e-Pakistan , the highest civilian decoration of Pakistan. [http://www.saudiembassy.net/2006News/News/RelDetail.asp?cIndex=5929 King Abdullah ends Asian tour with state visit to Pakistan] ]Saudi Arabia is the largest source of
petroleum for Pakistan. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4669904.stm Saudi king holds Pakistan talks] ] It also supplies extensive financial aid to Pakistan andremittance from Pakistani migrants to Saudi Arabia is also a major source of foreign currency. [http://www.arabianbusiness.com/497795-india-pakistan-trade-with-gcc-hits-36bn India-Pakistan trade with Gulf hits $36 bn] ] In recent years, both countries have exchanged high-level delegations and developed plans to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, education,real estate ,tourism ,information technology ,communications andagriculture . [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2742/is_367/ai_n24987374 Riyadh look to Asian trade] ] [http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38761&Itemid=2 Pakistan to welcome greater investment from Saudi Arabia] ] Saudi Arabia is aiding the development of trade relations with Pakistan through theGulf Cooperation Council , with which Pakistan is negotiating afree trade agreement ; the volume of trade between Pakistan and GCC member states in 2006 stood at USD 11 billion. [http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38761&Itemid=2 Pakistan to welcome greater investment from Saudi Arabia] ] [http://www.arabianbusiness.com/497795-india-pakistan-trade-with-gcc-hits-36bn India-Pakistan trade with Gulf hits $36 bn] ]References
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