THE visit of Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari to Saudi Arabia has a great deal of significance, especially with reference to his government's efforts to correct the national economy. Before analyzing the various aspects of this tour, one needs to take a close look at the history of Saudi-Pak relations with a special context of the long history of unique relations of the Saudi government with the leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party.
The relations are based on mutual understanding and respect between the Saudi royal family and the Bhuttos and it has lasted almost four decades.
During the early 1970s, Pakistan was facing almost a similar economic crisis while going through a rebuilding process under the dynamic leadership of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the then prime minister of Pakistan and the founding chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party. He revived the hopes of the people with his inspiring character while taking vital steps to expand the horizon of trade and economic opportunities for the people of Pakistan. He also secured valuable economic cooperation from friends and brotherly countries of the world. During these testing times, it was Saudi Arabia's generous assistance in various sectors that enabled Pakistan to rebuild its economy successfully.
After a long and dark era of martial law, Pakistan again found itself under a huge economic crunch during the late 1980s and again in the mid-nineties, but once again timely assistance from Saudi Arabia helped the democratic government to take initiatives to bring the economy back on track.
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, as the custodian of the great legacy of her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was able to cultivate historic relations with Saudi Arabia in a way that not only resulted in further strengthening bilateral relations but also secured various economic concessions including the deferential payment of oil worth billion of rupees.
The financial assistance from Saudi Arabia was again a reflection of brotherly relations between the two countries.
It's a strange coincidence that the onus of bailing Pakistan out of its worst economic conditions is again on Bhutto's party and following its traditions, the leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party has yet again accepted the challenge and is doing its best to streamline the shattered economy following the visionless policies the nation had to bear over the last decade.
The present government has taken various measures at a domestic level to meet the challenge and at the same time is engaging with international communities especially with "Friends of Pakistan" to secure a viable cooperation from them in order to redress the immediate threats to national economy and the government can concentrate on long-term agenda of development and prosperity of the country.
Some pessimists were busy spreading the rumor that the "Friends of Pakistan" were not willing to lend a helping hand in government efforts of correcting the national economy. But they were proved false as many of the "Friends of Pakistan" pledged their help and aid to Pakistan recently.
The tour of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to Saudi Arabia should be viewed as a giant step to secure international cooperation and some significant developments are already under way following the tour.
According to reports from Riyadh, the Saudi authorities have already given their go ahead for deferential oil payments for Pakistan. In this regard Pakistan has urged Saudi Arabia to defer payments for its crude oil imports, which are expected to be worth about $5.9 billion during the 2008/09 fiscal year (July/June). Besides seeking economic cooperation from Saudi Arabia, Zardari’s visit is significant in other ways. It can be regarded as an important step to signify that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will continue to enjoy close brotherly relations in a host of areas and the people and the government of Pakistan have great love and respect for the leadership and the people of Saudi Arabia.