Mehmood-Ul-Hassan Khan
Being the sixth largest army in the world and sole nuclear Muslim states, Pakistan proposed to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) the setting up of a formal ‘security bloc’ to combat any external or internal security threats in the region. The creditable policy initiative also stressed the need to have a strategic partnership which would also ensure food safety; further economic integration. Functional security would be epicenter of the proposed security bloc”.
Extended military cooperation would be essential for GCC ongoing socio-economic prosperity and production. Pakistan can provide common military/security bloc to GCC which would be paradigm shift in the region. It would be curial for the GCC short and long terms geo-political and geo-strategic interests. The existing Peninsula Shield in the GCC would be further strengthened and streamlined.
Up-gradation of the weapon system and fighting capabilities of the GCC Peninsula shield would be further cemented by the meaningful Pak-GCC strategic security bloc. United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia led the way and strongly demonstrated the power of the GCC Peninsula shield in Bahrain. There would a joint military to face any potential or emerging regional threats and confronting realities. The prospects of having new weapon system and unifying military training would also be initiated under this planned joint strategic security bloc between the Pakistan and the GCC.
Most importantly, political turmoil in Bahrain has changed the terms of regional engagement. Through its conflict resolution policy and rigorous diplomatic efforts the government of Pakistan succeeded to decrease the chances of expected proxy war in the region. The government of Pakistan reiterated that Pakistan supports all efforts for peace and stability in the Islamic world so as to promote development and prosperity of the common people. The rigorous track II diplomacy on the issue of Bahrain raised Pakistan’s regional stature which opened greater job opportunities for Pakistan to play a significant role in the emerging security scenarios in the region.
Pakistan and GCC countries can complement each other well due to their close proximity and common interests. Moreover, chalked out of common strategy against terrorism, extremism, human & drugs trafficking and the last but not the least maritime piracy could be rigorously followed. Human trafficking and maritime piracy have become major security concerns to socio-economic stability, investment inflow and above all energy security in the region. The recently occurred horrible incidents of Somalia pirates badly exposed regional vulnerabilities and security derisory. Therefore, Pakistan-GCC security bloc would jointly cope with this widespread menace in the days to come.
Instead of heavily rely on the Western countries equipments or borrowed ideas, regional security bloc may be the appropriate answer to the emerging security concerns to regional countries. Security bloc would safe guard the national sovereignty and territorial supremacy of the member countries. It may also provide strategic-cushion and better bargaining position to all the GCC countries against its rivals in the region. It is obvious from Pakistan’s important and decisive role in the recently happened political fiasco in Bahrain.
The ministry of economy and the ministry of environment of UAE are very active to tackle in food security in the region. The UAE Food Security Initiative-2011 would highlight radical solutions to stimulate and promote food production through technology transfer, innovation and the adoption of best practices.
It is hoped that Pakistan-GCC strategic security bloc would eliminate non-state threats like climate change and water conservation could be commonly tackled. Food security has become a burning issue in the region especially in the GCC which could be solved by having a common security bloc between Pakistan and GCC countries. Since Pakistan is agriculture country and it easily fulfills the food demands of all the GCC countries. Pakistan has a lot of agriculture land which can be better utilised with the investment and technology from Gulf countries.
GCC is one of the main sources of worker remittances in the country. Millions of Pakistanis are doing great job in these countries. The GCC is also one of the biggest sources of investments and joint ventures in the country. So by having a concrete security bloc further economic integration may be speeded-up for the win-win situation to both the sides.
Energy security is the mantra of every country around the world. Oil and gas reservoirs are on the decline around the globe. New alternative/renewable energy resources are making serious inroad. Mutual cooperation in solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and nuclear energy etc could be considered in order to compete with the increasingly required energy demands and also to reduce carbon foot-notes. The energy mutual cooperation would provide ample opportunities to Pakistan-GCC. It would gear-up the onward march of socio-economic prosperity in the days to come in the region. United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are seriously cooperating with Pakistan to overcome its energy deficits.
In a larger context, Middle East region is passing through its toughest challenge of survival. From Manama to Hama, the political map of the Middle East is being redrawn. Middle East has been swinging between the highly projected notions of spring and autumn for the last many months. Diehard supporters of status quo and jubilant prompters of revolution are at tug of war in the region. The proposed Pakistan-GCC security bloc would be instrumental to maintain law and order, peace, harmony and sovereignty.
Think-tanks and tanks are fighting for survival against each other. People’s protest and marital power is staggering to dominate in Syria, Yemen, Sudan and Egypt. Tunisia and Algeria are still feeling the heats of grand change. Bullets are being brutally used to stop the transition of ballot. The Federal National Council’s elections 2011 has stood tall and emerged as ideal and suitable way of bring real change. Pakistan-GCC security bloc would be custodian of governance, traditions, culture, civility, and economy in these countries afterwards. The regional maneuvering, external aggressions, disguised infiltration and chances of proxy wars would be minimized.
The waves of change (Arab Spring) have already produced serious dints in the socio-economic plans and physical landscape in the region. Even the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is feeling the pinch of ongoing Arab Spring and has already lost billions of dollars.
Middle East the land of unlimited prophecies and pharaohs is again in search of new Moses to sail it from the shores of geo-political uncertainty and geo-strategic worrisome situation to the holy land of peace and harmony. The Pakistan-GCC security bloc would be front line actor against any internal conspirator or external schemer.
The Middle East the land of sacred shrines and shinning stars of today imperialism drive, hub of diversity, dignity and hope of ongoing global economic recession is under transformation. Emerging geo-political and geo-strategic security concerns loom large and demand immediate solutions and the projected security bloc between the Pakistan and the GCC would be useful for all the participatory countries.