http://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/voices/Schisms-in-Islamic-World-Guide-Pak%E2%80%99s-Foreign-Policy/2016/03/12/article3320446.ece
By G Parthasarathy
Published: 12th March 2016
The 20th century saw two developments that shook the Islamic world. The first was World War I, which triggered the collapse of global Islamist ambitions, with the dismantling of the Ottoman empire and end of the Caliphate. The creation of Israel and the dispossession of Palestinians in 1948 brought Muslims worldwide together to destroy the Jewish state determined to end the injustice done to fellow Muslim Palestinians. The 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict proved disastrous for such ambitions, as the Arab armies of Egypt, Syria and Jordan were routed, with Israel capturing large tracts of their territory and, most importantly, taking control of the holy sites of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, in Jerusalem. The defeated Arabs responded in 1969 by establishing the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in a summit meeting of Islamic countries in Morocco, with the aim of uniting the Muslim “Ummah” against Israel.
Not surprisingly, Pakistan had its own aims in participating in the OIC, which now has 57 members, with headquarters in Saudi Arabia. Its ambition was to mobilise the Islamic world against India and secure support for its claims in Jammu and Kashmir, while pledging allegiance for the Arab cause, on ending Israeli occupation of Muslim lands. This was accompanied by a worldwide effort to persuade Muslims and Islamic countries to unite against alleged atrocities targeting Muslims in India, particularly in J&K. Pakistan also used its nuclear ambitions to persuade Saudi Arabia, Iran and others that it would transfer nuclear capabilities to enable them to counter Israel’s formidable stockpile. What followed was massive flow of money to Pakistan from oil-rich Islamic states, together with diplomatic support, with OIC recognising and backing the Hurriyat as the sole and legitimate representatives of Muslims in Kashmir.
Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts are now coming apart, as the mirage of religion-based unity among Islamic countries is being torn apart by sectarian strife between Shias and Sunnis, and civilisational fault lines between Iran and its Sunni Arab neighbours. The carnage in Yemen and Syria reflect these fault lines. The conflict in Syria is pitting Shias backed by Iran, Iraq and the Hezbollah, against Sunnis backed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. It has led to 0.25 million Syrians losing their lives and 11 million fleeing homes. In Yemen, Saudi Arabia is determined not to allow an Iranian-backed regime dominated by Shia Houthis to take charge of the country. Saudi Arabia has put together a coalition of 34 Sunni Islamic countries to take on the ISIS, which is seen as a threat to its conservative monarchy. More importantly, the Saudi effort is geared to containing Iranian influence in Syria and elsewhere in its neighbourhood.
Pakistan is now faced with a dilemma on how to respond to Saudi entreaties for active military support. The Gulf Arabs, who have invested billions in economic and military assistance to Pakistan, are recognising that Islamabad will not come to their assistance, as they had expected. Pakistan has been severely criticised by the leaders of UAE for its alleged duplicity, even as the Emirates seek closer relations with India. The OIC, torn apart by sectarian differences, may periodically issue bombastic statements on J&K against India at Pakistani behest, but it has lost its credibility and relevance, as influential members like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and others, overtly and covertly, seek Israeli support against Iran and have little time or energy to fight for the rights of Palestinians, amid internal conflicts. The country that has benefited most from Pakistan’s membership of the OIC has been its ‘all-weather friend’ China. Despite severe persecution of its Muslim population who are not allowed to fast publicly during Ramzan, or wear Burqas in Xinjiang Province, China has avoided being condemned by the OIC, thanks largely to Pakistan’s backing.
dadpartha@gmail.com
Parthasarathy is a former diplomat
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