Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is set to visit Saudi Arabia on a key one day visit; the Prime Minister will be accompanied by Army Chief General Raheel Sharif. This visit would be the third high level visit of a Pakistani delegation to Saudi Arabia since the coalition led by Saudi Arabia started attacks against Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif had visited Saudi Arabia late in March and last week Chief Minister Punjab visited Saudi Arabia to discuss the Yemen situation and take the Saudi leadership in confidence regarding the stance adopted by Pakistan in the conflict. The visit by the Prime Minister and Army Chief suggests that things are not going smoothly on the diplomatic front between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The unanimous resolution by the Pakistani parliament called for Pakistan to remain neutral in the Yemen crisis. The decision of the parliament didn’t go down well with some countries with a UAE Minister warning Pakistan of ‘high cost’ for its neutral stance. It is a tough time for the foreign policy makers with Pakistan under pressure from all sides. The bomb blast in Jalalabad during the visit of Afghan army chief to Pakistan suggests that there are forces that are wary of Pakistan’s improving relations with Afghanistan. The visit of Chinese President in which agreements worth $46 billion were signed ruffled feathers in India as well. For the first time in years Pakistan seems to have taken a bold stance on its foreign policy front. The coming days are crucial for Pakistan and it remains to be seen whether the Government budges on its stance or maintains that it won’t become party to any conflict in a foreign country. The present situation presents various opportunities if we handle things the right way.
Beyond Politics: Ensuring Judicial Independence for a Thriving Democracy
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