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KT edit: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan forge ties for the new age

For long, Pakistan-Saudi Arabia ties were stuck in the past. On Sunday, Islamabad broke with the past in a rare welcome for Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Prime Minister Imran Khan received the crown prince at the airport and personally drove him to the venue for bilateral talks. Receptions like this are usually the hallmark of personal visits, and when such warmth is accorded to state visits it simply exhibits the strength of ties between nations. Over 2.5 million Pakistanis work in the kingdom, contributing to the development of Saudi Arabia and also significantly adding to the foreign exchange of Pakistan through remittances. Bilateral trade is at $3.7 billion and efforts are on to increase it further.
What's added more weight to this relationship is the fact that Saudi Arabia is not just aiding but investing in projects in Pakistan. In 2005, when Balochistan was hit by a devastating earthquake, Saudi Arabia offered $10 million in humanitarian aid. When floods swept across Pakistan in 2010 and 2011, the kingdom granted $170 million for relief operations. In December 2018, $3 billion was pledged to the country. And now the decision to invest $20 billion testifies that it just isn't about humanitarian work and aid, but Saudi Arabia wants to increase its presence and investments in the country, too.
MBS's visit puts the relationship on a firmer footing. Saudi wants to play the role of a participant in Pakistan's potential rather than as a benefactor that it has been in the past. The shift in approach points to new leadership styles and also signals an economic move away from oil as Riyadh diversifies its economy while actively seeking investments for new projects. Pakistan could provide human resources for Saudi growth plans. It's a practical broadening of ties which is in the best interest of both sides. Riyadh realises Pakistan's prosperity is vital for a more stable Middle East and South Asia. Extremism can be wiped out through economic progress and Saudi Arabia, by being a proactive partner, hopes Pakistan can turn the tide. A progressive relationship is in the interest of both countries. Of course, traditional warmth is like the icing on the cake.