The coronavirus pandemic has battered and bruised the economy, polity, and society of Pakistan, impacting and influencing the lives of the ordinary citizens and forcing them to live in a mode of perpetual denial of basic resources. This, as the Imran Khan led-establishment is engaged in locating and situating new alliance-partners for the maintenance of strength, sustenance, and survival of Islamic virtues and wisdom.
Saudi Arabia has been considered as one of the most sacred and holiest shrines of Islamic faith and practice and Pakistan should draw itself closer towards it, if for nothing, then at least for its large Muslim brethren. But after the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian establishment, Imran Khan has become all the more repulsive, trying to raise the issues of subjugation and subordination of the Indian Muslims at the hands of the security agencies. Imran Khan has always taken the occasion and opportunity to purposefully present the plight of the population in Jammu and Kashmir instead of re-shaping and re-orienting his strategies to help the prospects of his electorate. Surrendering his will to the domestic fallout, be it under the rationale of a secure investment in faith and belief, it still will act as surest guarantees for promotion and participation of the cause internationally. Otherwise, in the first place, he surely would have desisted asking for convening a special session of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Conference) on the abrogation of Article 370, by playing up its Muslim card.
The Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud fluently read, interpreted, and understood this. Saudi Arabia undoubtedly shares a warm and harmonious association and relation with India and is one of its major trading partners and there is no reason why it would want to hamper this by being part of the theatrics scripted by Imran Khan. Geopolitically, Saudi Arabia has been inkling towards India, US, and Australia for the sake of the objectives and interests of the royal kingdom and they wouldn’t want to play second fiddle, the way Pakistan is scripting and wanting it to perform.
Benevolently being dictated and directed by China, the leadership of Imran Khan sees a lot to broad base its constituency by aspiring to fulfill its responsibilities as a friendly caregiver modernist state holding sway for its theocratic culture, order, and tradition. Elucidating the face and fact of Pakistans’ political action and behavior for winning the tacit support, approval, and cooperation of allies like Turkey and Iran giving it a method to spearhead its rise as an arc of Islamic revivalism disrupting its affinity and ties with Saudi Arabia
If not for Saudi Arabia, then Imran Khan will have to fend for himself, whether it is about making debt repayments to the International Monetary Fund or for delivering the promised physical infrastructure since otherwise, all these would be taking a hit on account of Imran Khan’s miscalculation and misadventures. Imran Khan should pick and place his ability in Saudi Arabia as its old ally and certainly improve relations with them, provided his objective is ameliorating Pakistan from within.