Saudi reforms and its implications to Pakistan

Saudi Arabia is undergoing a major transformation. After the demise of Abdullah, Salman’s rule begins as the King of Saudi Arabia, which can be considered important in many ways. Since 2014 a huge drop in petroleum prices all over the world, has also triggered these changes.

Saudi Vision 2030: Saudi reforms

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman is embarking on what is called Saudi Vision 2030 through a National Transformation Plan.

According to its official website “Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030” was adopted as a methodology and roadmap for economic and developmental action in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In its aim to grant the Kingdom a leading position in all fields, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 sought to identify the general directions, policies, goals, and objectives of the Kingdom.

“Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030” encompasses—in a number of domains—strategic objectives, targets, outcome-oriented indicators, and commitments that are to be achieved by the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The Council of Economic and Development Affairs has established an effective and integrated governance model. This model aims to translate the Vision into various implementation programs that will accomplish its goals and directions. Such programs will rely on new operating models customized to the requirements of each program, as well as the common national goals related to the Vision. The programs will be launched successively, according to the requirements of “Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030”.

In this regard the Initial Public Offering of Aramco, a company worth an estimated $2 trillion, is sinking into the background. What draws attention is Muhammad Bin Salman’s urge to change the economy, which hitherto relied solely on a single commodity, into a modern, diversified and open one?

With more than half of the Saudi population under the age of 25, the young Saudi potentate is wending the conservative nation towards modernisation.

The political purge by MBS, defined by some as a ‘power grab’, and the conversion of the Riyadh Ritz-Carlton hotel into a gilded prison for the princes, conveys that the Crown Prince means business. With the Saudi economy opening up and brotherly ties existing between the countries one might ask: what is in it for Pakistan?

Reforms: What will happen to Pakistan?

Pakistan has been a major and trusted ally of Saudi Arabia. After demise of Zulfiqar ali Bhutto and acquiring power by Zia-ul-Haq In 1977, and in same year the invasion of the Soviet Union on Afghanistan and after that, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan became the most important ally of United States in the campaign to support the Mujahideen against USSR.

Large amount of Patro-dollar flooded into Pakistan. And with this Wahabi sect was also imported from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan. Which made Pakistan’s not only political, but also religious and social environment highly annoying?

And Pakistan was transformed into a global jihad factory. It just not only provided refuge to international terrorist like Abdullah Azam, Osama bin Laden and Aiman- al- Zawahiri, but also provides appropriate resources to fulfill their dream for Armageddon.

Muhammad bin Salman has said on more than one occasion that he wants to take Saudi Arabia to a state, prior to the death of Shah Faisal. It is notable that after the death of Shah Faisal, Saudi Arabia has largely established the domination of Wahabi reactionaries, which paved the way for the massively violent propaganda to establish this sect in all over the world.

Pakistan was also an important part of the program,and it initiated major destructive changes in Pakistan. Madarsas were established in large scale in Pakistan who believed in Ahle Hadith ideology. Among them, Jamat ud Dawa wal Irshad headed by notorious terrorist Hafiz saeed,  claimed as the largest terrorist organization, which armed wing known as Lashkar e Taibba. Many such Islamic training and armed terrorist organizations have been receiving massive amounts from organizations such as Rabitat al-Alam al-Islami from Saudi Arabia.

But if this plan comes in to action, then there will be a great reduction in funding and moral support to Pakistan's madrassas and terrorist organizations. This will cause a severe crisis in Pakistan. Because about 40 lakh youth are getting training in these madrassas of Pakistan and whose capacity and utility is zero and they are completely kept alive by this mechanism.

In this situation, they can ignite an armed rebellion in cover of religious cause, which can be a potential threat not only to the security of Pakistan but its neighboring countries too.