Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on April 23, 2015.

Moeed Pirzada | FB Blog |

What can Pakistan & PM Nawaz do for Saudi Arabia? – While all eyes inside Pakistan were galvanized at the Senate Elections, PM Nawaz was being received personally by Saudi King Shah Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud at the airport a warmth not even displayed to the Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan who was received by a governor and reception committee. What Saudi Arabia wants from Pakistan?

This question assumes all the more importance when we keep in mind that before Nawaz, Saudi king had a day long summit with Erdogan, before that with Egyptian President Gen. Sissi and before that with top leadership of Kuwait, Qatar, UAE and Jordan. And all this at a time when Americans and the Europeans are trying to finalize a nuclear limitation deal with Iran that will freeze Iranian program for ten years, in return letting Iran become a club member of the western community making it possible for normal diplomatic, trade and industrial technological flows towards Iran -something that is blocked or denied since 1979.

And both Saudi Arabia and Israel are panicking, not because Iran will or can attack them but because this 4000 year old civilization, more democratic than most Muslim countries will become a partner of the west and thus far more influential in the region. Bibi Netanyahu was in Washington lecturing his venomous anti-Iran and anti-Obama and anti-Kerry speech to a joint session of US Congress, a speech that was liked less by New York Times but more by Saudi Press..?? What is happening here..?

So what Saudi Arabia wants from our simple innocent looking Nawaz Sharif? What can Nawaz Sharif do? I think we will try to save some time from Senate Power Play to focus on this important intriguing question today…