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Understanding Saudi Arabia's influence on Pakistan: the case of the Islamic military alliance to fight terrorism

journal contribution
posted on 2019-07-01, 00:00 authored by Zahid Ahmed
The launch of the Saudi‐led so‐called Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism (IMAFT) in 2015 tested the strong strategic alliance between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. In light of concerns about the positioning of the coalition of 41 states against Iranian interests in the Middle East, Pakistan's initial response to the Saudi demand to join the war in Yemen was a polite refusal by means of a unanimous decision of the parliament. However, under tremendous pressure from Riyadh and other Gulf States, Islamabad later capitulated and backtracked from its initial decision. This paper analyses the unique nature of the relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia through a dissection of the various dimensions of the Kingdom's cultural and political influence on Pakistan. It also illuminates Saudi hegemonic strategies and the manner in which Islamabad adjusts and is influenced as well as coerced to revise its foreign policy choices. This paper argues that Saudi's diplomatic strategies, political pressure and pledges of generous financial assistance ensured Pakistan's participation in IMAFT.

History

Journal

Muslim world

Volume

109

Issue

3

Season

Special Issue: Conceptualising the Umma

Pagination

308 - 326

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons

Location

Chichester, Eng.

ISSN

0027-4909

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2018, Hartford Seminary

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