Sharif Family enjoys decades old relationship with Saudi royal family. Former Prime Minister Nawaz has laid down the legacy of ties which Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is carrying forward. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is on his first tour to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as Prime Minister along with his 13 Cabinet Members. On social media there was a lot of propaganda over expenses of Prime Minister’s visit which was rebuffed by the official sources declaring that Mr. Shahbaz Sharif will be spending from his personal account. During last regime, former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s foreign policy towards KSA had many swings, however, it is widely believed that Pakistan will once again witness a tilt towards KSA during the government of Pakistan Muslim League (N). The Saudi Royal family has cordial relationships with Sharif Family of Pakistan. It is no hidden fact that Royal Family intervened in Pakistani politics and provided asylum to Sharif family when General Pervez Musharraf overthrew Nawaz Sharif’s government and sent him behind bars in 1999. Afterwards, when Nawaz Sharif came into power to become Prime Minister once again in 2013, Pakistan was witnessed growing strong relationships with Saudi Arabia so much so that critics believed Pakistan has joined Saudi-bloc and has distanced itself from Iran fearing the equilibrium will be disturbed in Middle East. Pakistan not only joined ‘Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition’ in 2016 but also permitted its former Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif to become head of coalition while still keeping bond with Iran. Former Prime Minister Nawaz along with the then Army Chief visited Iran and Saudi Arabia to exhibit the peak of Pakistan’s balanced foreign policy towards Middle East. No doubt, Saudi Arabia has always stood with Pakistan and supported it in times of crisis for instance for instance after Nuclear Tests in Chaghi on 28 May, 1998, Pakistan faced strict American sanctions which resulted in depletion of its foreign exchange reserves, under Nawaz Shairf’s leadership Saudi Arabia allowed Pakistan to purchase Oil on deferred payments saving it from bankruptcy. In 2014, once again Nawaz Govt. approached Saudi Royal Family to provide Pakistan with borrowed oil, and the call was not rejected. Even KSA and Pakistan conducted joint military exercises which were attended by former Prime Ministers, Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in 2016 and 2018, respectively.
Since 2018, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia’s relationship became unstable, when Prime Minister Imran Khan demanded Suadi Arabia to condemn India over Kashmir issue, otherwise it will join Turkish bloc. Saudi Arabia has also balanced policy towards South Asian neighbors, thus Arabia demanded urgently repays of $3 billion loan and Pakistanis labors were facing problems in Middle East. Besides, UAE- part of Suadi bloc, banned Pakistanis from being issued work visas. All these woes lessened in 2021 when Prime Minister Khan visited Saudi Arabia and latter announced deal worth $20 billion which is yet to take-off. Recently, the watch scandal in Pakistan’s domestic politics has further stirred controversy relating to Crown Prince, Muhammad Bin Salman (MBS) and now deposed Prime Minister Imran Khan who received a very expensive watch as gift from MBS which the latter has admitted of selling in Dubai. These acts of a head of highest office in Pakistan leave a very negative gesture. However, it appears that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s now ongoing visit to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is going to clear all these dark clouds in Pakistani-Saudi friendship. Pakistan once again is on right track of strengthening its friendship with Middle East’s major power and decades old Friend: Suadi Arabia.Similar to Sri Lanka, Pakistan is once again at brink from bankruptcy as foreign exchange reserves are very low, and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif visit to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is going to bear some fruit. The Prime Minister and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salaman are likely to reach a deal for borrowing oil on deferred payments and Mr. Sharif is likely to convince MBS for loan in Foreign Exchange Reserves. Pakistan and KSA are likely to explore many avenues for investments for instance seeking more opportunities for Pakistani labor force in KSA, Saudi investment in Pakistan in expansion of oil refinery, real estate and many other long term business investment plans. It will be a big win for Shahbaz government to make some development in promised $20 Billion investment deal announced during Imran Khan’s regime which made no progress ever since. PML(N) is credited for infrastructure development due to same reason, after Shahbaz Sharif joining office, Saudi Company Sarh Attqnia Company (SAC) and the Pakistani party, Javedan Corporation signed $12 billion real estate project for Ravi City in Lahore. This manifests the trust of Suadi investors in Pakistani government. Pakistan has a lot to offer to Saudi Arabia in terms of one of the largest consumer market and route provider of CPEC. Saudi investors are looking towards east for investment opportunities, we must provide them the right environment with stable govt. and peaceful security situation to grab this opportunity and diversify Saudi investment in industries like petrochemical, oil refinery, real- estate etc. Analysts foresee Pakistan enjoying these investment opportunities under Shahbaz Sharif’s experienced and fast-pace administration and Pakistan growing closer to Saudi Arabia averting the financial crisis at its door.