Qatar crisis: Pakistan in tight corners
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain cut relations with Qatar in a coordinated move. Yemen, Libya's eastern-based government and the Maldives joined in later. Gulf Arab states and Egypt have already long resented Qatar's support for extremists, especially the Muslim Brotherhood which they regard as a dangerous political enemy. Announcing the closure of transport ties with Qatar, the three Gulf states gave Qatari visitors and residents two weeks to leave. Qatar was also expelled from the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.
"(Qatar) embraces multiple terrorist and sectarian groups aimed at disturbing stability in the region, including the Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS (Islamic State) and al-Qaeda, and promotes the message and schemes of these groups through their media constantly," Saudi state news agency SPA said.
The economic fallout loomed immediately, Qatar's stock market index sank 7.5 percent with some of the market's top blue chips hardest hit. The measures are more severe than during a previous eight-month rift in 2014, when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE withdrew their ambassadors from Doha, again alleging Qatari support for militant groups. At that time, travel links were maintained and Qataris were not expelled.
The diplomatic broadside threatens the international prestige of Qatar, which hosts a large US military base and is set to host the 2022 World Cup. It has for years presented itself as a mediator and power broker for the region's many disputes.
This decision has put Pakistan between a rock and a hard place as Islamabad enjoys friendly ties with both the states. Pakistan has no immediate plans to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, Nafees Zakaria, a spokesman for the foreign ministry said on 5th June.
There is a large Pakistani community in Qatar which numbers over 50,000. They work in diverse fields and send remittances each year. A deal was signed by the two countries' governments in December 2015 in which Qatar agreed to supply Pakistan with $16 billion of LNG over a lengthy period. In 2016 Qatar government signed defence deal with Pakistan. The Armed Forces of the State of Qatar will purchase 8 Super Mashaq aircrafts from the Pakistani company Aeronautical Complex, Camra. On 22 December 2016 the Protocol of the Joint Ministerial Commission was also signed in Islamabad. Qatar spent millions of Dollars as charity in various areas in Pakistan.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has his own reasons for better ties with Qatar as his family is being probed in Panama leaks scandal where Qatari Prince Hamad bin Jasim bin Jaber Al-Thani is playing a role to rescue them. On the other hand, Riyadh has saved Sharif’s life in the past when military ruler Pervez Musharraf had imprisoned him after a coup in 1999. Also, they have always economically helped Pakistan – especially when Sharif is in power.
Saudi Arabia may not officially ask Pakistan to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar but Riyadh will definitely expect Islamabad to show solidarity. Pakistan recently allowed former army chief Raheel Sharif to command a Saudi Arabia-led military alliance of 39 Muslim states. The alliance was formed by the kingdom in December 2015 with its headquarters in Riyadh.
Meanwhile, in a more interesting move, the Pakistan Ulema (scholars) Council has expressed its condemnation of Qatar’s support for Houthi militias and their complicity with Iran against Saudi Arabia. The council also condemned Qatar’s of terrorist and extremist organizations that “seek to destabilize security in a number of Islamic countries”.