Why Saudi Arabia and Iran are desperately trying to court Imran Khan

[Jaanbaz]

I just think that the Muslim world will not have peace till Iran finds peace.

Cheers, Doc

Iran's influence is mostly limited to ME and surrounding countries . Iranian Mullah regime will not survive for long, either they will have to evolve or Iranians themselves would get rid of them.

Can't say the same about Saudi Arabia though, they seem to have a free hand in spreading its Wahabi ideology in all corners of world. I kid you not even in a small country such as Ireland there have been concerns of wahabi preachers being trained in Saudia and then being sent back to cause problems. Another great example is Ghana where most Muslim sects get along really well and are well integrated into Ghanaian society but a recent trend of Saudi trained Ghanian Mullahs have come back and are trying to start sectarian conflict there.

 

[padamchen]

Iran's influence is mostly limited to ME and surrounding countries . Iranian Mullah regime will not survive for long, either they will have to evolve or Iranians themselves would get rid of them.

Can't say the same about Saudi Arabia though, they seem to have a free hand in spreading its Wahabi ideology in all corners of world. I kid you not even in a small country such as Ireland there have been concerns of wahabi preachers being trained in Saudia and then being sent back to cause problems. Another great example is Ghana where most Muslim sects get along really well and are well integrated into Ghanaian society but a recent trend of Saudi trained Ghanian Mullahs have come back and are trying to start sectarian conflict there.

Iran exerts 360 degree influence and punches way above its weight. In the region as well as globally with the big guys.

Iran is also on your doorstep. The Saudis are not.

The Muslim world IS the ME. That's where all the strife is.

Both of us have restive populaces. We are on the edge of an inferno.

And India is both glad and deadly terrified that Pakistan stands in the way ....

Cheers, Doc

 

[SoulSpokesman]

@padamchen

Doc,

And India is both glad and deadly terrified that Pakistan stands in the way ....

Incidentally the Allama had also prophesised something of that sort, that an independent Muslim homeland in NW India would insulate India from the chaos in the Greater ME. His wish has come true, altho possibly not in a way he wud have appreciated.

Regards

 

[AZ1]

We should have balance policy but to be honest more tilted towards saudia for the sake of Pakistan interest. They are investing in our country and we should keep that in front of us country interest first. What Iran is investing?

 

[padamchen]

@padamchen

Doc,

And India is both glad and deadly terrified that Pakistan stands in the way ....

Incidentally the Allama had also prophesised something of that sort, that an independent Muslim homeland in NW India would insulate India from the chaos in the Greater ME. His wish has come true, altho possibly not in a way he wud have appreciated.

Regards

Glad.

And deadly terrified.

They insulated us.

But forgot to insulate themselves ....

Cheers, Doc

 

[New World]

@padamchen

Doc,

And India is both glad and deadly terrified that Pakistan stands in the way ....

Incidentally the Allama had also prophesised something of that sort, that an independent Muslim homeland in NW India would insulate India from the chaos in the Greater ME. His wish has come true, altho possibly not in a way he wud have appreciated.

Regards

So, we are the protector of india..

 

[SoulSpokesman]

@New World

So, we are the protector of india..

Yes, sir, you are.

Regards

 

[Pak-Canuck]

I have been to Iran a couple of times now, to various cities as well, from Tehran (where you encounter the liberal-moderate folk) all the way to Qom and Mashad (the conservative areas). Let me tell you that what you see on mainstream media to what the reality is are two different things. It's almost the exact same perception people have in the West towards Pakistan i.e that Pakistan is a taliban-esque burqa wearing non-developed ghetto country all over like they show in tv programs like Homeland, try to tell people here of how modernized many cities in Pakistan are like Lahore, Karachi Islamabad etc with regards to infrastructure and social life and people won't believe you. Same way in Iran, despite what they show you in the media, most people from the upper class to the lower are supportive of their government. They are quite a developed country as well, engineering and infrastructure wise. The only thing that is tough there right now is the economy and inflation which is mostly the fault of sanctions slapped on them over the last couple of decades for not bowing down to the West.

So yes in terms of investment Iran cannot offer as much as Saudi can, but strategic wise it can a lot. The under-construction Iran-Pakistan-China gasline has huge benefits to us, and something the US is very against and pressuring Pak to abandon. And with Iran's very close ties to Russia it can only benefit Pak more by strengthening it's own ties with Russia. I do know Saudis have invested billions into Pak infrastructure, but it has come with a price as well, from trying to involve us in their Yemen war as well as their investing into thousands of madrassahs we can do without as that is where a lot of sectarian violence and unfortunately stemmed from. Definitely we should not choose one over the other and try to ensure a neutral-collaborative approach.

 

[shahbaz baig]

@New World

So, we are the protector of india..

Yes, sir, you are.

Regards

Are you talking about some prophecy or what?

We Will Only protect Pakistan's interest not yours.

 

[SoulSpokesman]

@shahbaz baig

We Will Only protect Pakistan's interest not yours.

But the odds are you will end up protecting our interest, not yours. What do you say, Doc? ( @padamchen )

Regards

 

[padamchen]

@shahbaz baig

We Will Only protect Pakistan's interest not yours.

But the odds are you will end up protecting our interest, not yours. What do you say, Doc? ( @padamchen )

Regards

Grateful.

And deadly afraid.

Its like getting a taste of what a Pakistani must feel like when his cricket team goes out to play ...

Cheers, Doc

 

[313ghazi]

Let me tell you Saudis have invested billions in Pakistan. From funding schools to hospitals. You will be surprise if you came to know that many hospitals/schools are directly funded by UAE and Saudi govts over the decades while on the other hand, none by Iranis. Having said this, I ain't meant to leave Iran for Saudis but our preference should always be Saudia Arab. Long term , well, let me tell you Shia Sunni rift will remain there till end of times and we Pakistanis have to play smartly.

For all the investment, they've also supported their salafist terrorists by funding their brainwashing factories and providing weapons. UAE is accused of supporting TTP through their intelligence agencies. Look at their role in Syria, if there is ever trouble in Pakistan, there is capacity for them to do the same here. Saudi's look out for their own interest, Chinese look out for their own interest, so should we.

The Iranians are no saints either. They have actively been recruiting terrorists in Pakistan too, for use in Syria, arming shia militant groups, they've been supporting India - again all out of their own self interest.

Our interests is with both Saudi and Iran, it should not be limited by either side. Our long term interest is with both of these nations getting on, but if they don't - they should be the ones standing to lose out - not us.

 

[RIP Pak LAW]

Abdullah ki shaadi mein bigana deewana @ Indians

 

[313ghazi]

Let me tell you Saudis have invested billions in Pakistan. From funding schools to hospitals. You will be surprise if you came to know that many hospitals/schools are directly funded by UAE and Saudi govts over the decades while on the other hand, none by Iranis. Having said this, I ain't meant to leave Iran for Saudis but our preference should always be Saudia Arab. Long term , well, let me tell you Shia Sunni rift will remain there till end of times and we Pakistanis have to play smartly.

Also i agree with you, that the Saudi's are a far better ally for us right now. I just don't want us to burn any bridges. If we had a more balanced diplomatic approach and some forward thinking we wouldn't have so much difficulty because of our decisions backfiring.

 

[RIP Pak LAW]

For all the investment, they've also supported their salafist terrorists by funding their brainwashing factories and providing weapons. UAE is accused of supporting TTP through their intelligence agencies. Look at their role in Syria, if there is ever trouble in Pakistan, there is capacity for them to do the same here. Saudi's look out for their own interest, Chinese look out for their own interest, so should we.

The Iranians are no saints either. They have actively been recruiting terrorists in Pakistan too, for use in Syria, arming shia militant groups, they've been supporting India - again all out of their own self interest.

Our interests is with both Saudi and Iran, it should not be limited by either side. Our long term interest is with both of these nations getting on, but if they don't - they should be the ones standing to lose out - not us.

I agree but at times you need to see a bigger picture where one side will demand you to do more like in case of Yemen war. This is where we have to play smart although we should draw a threshold line that our cooperation will not exceed behind this point but remaining total neutral is not possible for us all the time. Remember world doesn't govern on ideal situations.