Page 4 - Pakistan Link - October 18, 2019

P4 – PAKISTAN LINK – OCTOBER 18, 2019 OPINION
Pakistan Link Can Imran Khan Bridge the Iranian - Saudi Divide?

n By Karamatullah K. Ghori
Advisory Board
Dr Sohail Masood Toronto, Canada
President
Arif Zaffar Mansuri mran was supposed to fix a
ArifMansuri@PLpublications.org Pakistan in turmoil. That’s was
Ihis pitch all through those long,
Editor turbulent, years—nearly a quarter
Akhtar Mahmud Faruqui century, in fact—
afaruqui@pakistanlink.com that he was on the
stump crying him-
Editor Urdu Link & Bureau Chief (Pakistan) self hoarse about a
Shabbir Ghori Pakistan that was
urdulink@yahoo.com going to dogs and
Resident Editor Urdu Link falling apart under
& Director Video Operations its thieving rulers.
Anwar Khawaja Now, more than a year in office
akhawaja@pakistanlink.com his agenda to fix a tottering Pakistan
is still struggling to take shape, while
Manager Sales & Advertising discontent against him and his rule
sales@pakistanlink.com has started taxing the fidelity and
patience of his aficionados.
Regional Offices
But while his home-renova-
tion initiative may be hitting rough
YKKB shoals, he’s making waves in foreign
ykkb03@gmail.com policy where his detractors initially
thought of him to be a novice.
Sacramento, CA
Sacramento@plpublications.com In the past three weeks he has
been to New York where his seminal
San Fransisco/Bay Area, CA address to the UN General Assem-
Sanfrancisco@plpublications.com bly, last September 27, planted his
feet firmly into the exclusive terrain the bulging portfolio of deep differ- have been trigger-happy, vis-à-vis China has recently pulled out of a
New York, NY
Newyork@plpublications.com of global statesmen. ences between the two contenders Iran for sometime. It’s part of the commitment to a joint venture with
Back home from that epochal Israeli-Zionist agenda to give Iran Iran, worth 5 billion dollars, to de-
Houston, TX appearance at the world conclave of There’s a quantum of a bloodied nose on the trumped-up velop a gas field in Iran. But China
Houston@Plpublications.org leaders, he dashed off to Beijing, last charge of its nuclear ambition. How- wouldn’t like to see the flow of Ira-
week, to confab with China’s lead- history, predating the ever, the firing of super-hawk John nian oil drying up for it because of
Phoenix, AZ er XI Jinping, on issues related to Bolton by Trump have, for the time America’s unstinted feud with Iran,
Phoenix@Plpublications.org rise of Islam in the
CPEC. The Chinese were said to be being, dampened the enthusiasm of which makes China an unwitting
Ontario, Canada unhappy about the sluggish pace of Arabian Peninsula, those in his administration baying victim.
Ontario@Plpublications.org co-operation from Imran’s govt. on that has traditionally for Iranian blood. Imran was closeted with Presi-
projects supposed to be completed In the latest cycle of tit-for tat, dent Xi in Beijing last week and
Letters to the Editor earlier. divided the Arab-end an Iranian oil tanker was hit by two may have been asked by his Chinese
Now, as these lines are being missiles, on October 12, close to mentor to do a bit of bailing out for
Readers are welcome to express their opinion of the Gulf from its
in these columns. Please keep your letters written, Imran Khan has landed in the Saudi coast. The Saudis quickly Beijing.
brief and to the point. Letters without full Tehran to commence his efforts to Iranian part. The chasm washed their hands off it but mur- Pundits are also pontificating
name, complete address, and a daytime
phone number will not be published. “facilitate” the bridging of the gulf murs of protest from Tehran did that MBS, the all-powerful Saudi
Also, copies of letters sent to other news- between two of Pakistan’s closest between Arab and convey a sense of distrust of the Sau- Prince ruling the roost in the king-
papers are not encouraged. Letters can be
mailed, faxed or e-mailed to the Editor at friends, the Kingdom of Saudi Ara- Ajam is deep-rooted dis. dom while his effete father only
the Pakistan Link Headquarters address bia and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Venturing into such a void is formally fills the throne, also ap-
listed below.
Pakistan Link (ISSN 1074-0406) is pub- It doesn’t take a genius to know going back to centuries. not a fool’s errand, and Imran is ex- proached IK to get him a line across
lished weekly for $85 a year by JAZ LLC, how deeply divided the Saudis and pected to know how sensitive is the to Tehran to defuse the snowballing
DBA PL Publications, LLC. the Iranians are. They have been This famous quote, task he has undertaken. crisis. MBS is on record telling CBS’
Periodical postage paid at Anaheim, CA at loggerheads, ideologically, ever attributed to the Second But the question is, is he doing 60-Minutes interviewer of him that
and additional mailing offices.
POST MASTER: Send address changes to since the Islamic revolution in Iran it on his own or doing someone else’s a shooting war between Iran and his
Pakistan Link, P O Box 1238, Anaheim, CA Rashid Caliph, Omar,
92815 spawned a new calculus of power in bidding? country would be devastating for ev-
The management has the right to refuse the region. The Saudis didn’t quite best encapsulates the When he met Trump, last eryone and should best be avoided.
to print any advertisement, news, article,
letter or any other material. In case of see eye to eye with a monarchic Iran month in New York on the side- Pakistan, with open lines to Wash-
any errors in advertisement the manage- when the Shah was in total com- essence of the rivalry. lines of UNGA, Imran is believed to ington, Riyadh and Tehran is ideally
ment will not be liable for more than the
amount paid for the advertisement to the mand of that country. The Shah, in have been accosted by the American placed to play the matchmaker.
Link. those days, was the principal police- for supremacy in the Gulf. leader to intercede with the Iranian But Imran can’t be unmindful
Advertisements in Pakistan Link are
placed in good faith. The newspaper is not man and watchdog of a neo-imperi- To cut a long story short, there’s leadership on his behalf and explore of the risks involved, not so much
responsible nor endorses the contents of alist US while the Saudis were at best a quantum of history, predating the the prospects for a dialogue between about the success or failure of his
any advertisement. In case of a frivolous
lawsuit, the plaintiff will bear the total cost the junior policeman. rise of Islam in the Arabian Penin- him and Iranian leaders. The Paki- mission but, much more, of its blow-
of the suit, including but not limited to the Since the Iranian cataclysm, the sula, that has traditionally divided stani news media was agog with a back on Pakistan itself.
Link’s costs and the attorney’s fees.
Saudis have, no doubt, been anoint- the Arab-end of the Gulf from its raft of speculations and conjectures It’s conventional wisdom in
ed as the major watchdog of Ameri- Iranian part. The chasm between that Trump had invoked Imran’s Pakistan that the country has been
Information for can and Western interests in the Arab and Ajam is deep-rooted go- good offices with Iran while himself a battleground of sectarian tension,
shying away from playing any proac-
Gulf. They relish and greedily covet
if not deep-seated animosity, be-
ing back to centuries. This famous
Subscribers their new title. However, Iran, in- quote, attributed to the Second tive role between India and Pakistan tween the followers of Saudi brand
The printing of Pakistan Link is unfail- fused with its Islamic revolutionary Rashid Caliph, Omar, best encap- over Kashmir. of Wahabism and the votaries of
ingly completed by Wednesday every
week and its copies are handed over to zeal is not prepared to accept them sulates the essence of the rivalry. He Trump is responsible for trig- Iran among its minority Shiias. The
the mailing house for prompt dispatch as such or agree to stay silently at- is said to have intoned that if it were gering this crisis of trust with Iran tussle, often bloody, has been there
to the subscribers. The Link should tuned to the Saudis playing the role up to him, he’d usher in a wall of fire by arrogantly reneging on the US ever since the emergence of an Is-
reach its destination on time if there is
no delay at the post office. If a delay is of the regional ‘big brother.’ between Arab and Ajm. commitment the Iran nuclear deal lamic and revolutionary Iran.
occasioned it is in no way attributable But their crisis of confidence The torching of a high valued negotiated by Obama in 2015. But
to the performance of Link’s manage- BRIDGE, P28
ment. In case of delayed receipt of Pak- has worsened since the Saudis in- Saudi Aramco oil refinery in Abqa- knowing how damaging a war with
istan Link or missing issues, please con- vaded the dirt-poor Yemen, next iq, on September 14, has precipitat- Iran would be to US interests—he Views and
tact your local Post Office and submit a opinions ex-
“Publication Watch” form. door to them, on the trumped up ed the ongoing and intensified spat couldn’t care less of what colossal
charge that the rebel Houthis of Ye- between KSA and Iran. The Houthis damage Iran is capable of piling on pressed by
men—who had overthrown the Sau- of Yemen claimed kudos for target- American vassals among the oil-rich authors and
PAKISTAN LINK di client regime in Sanaa and driven ing such a prized Saudi location. Arab Sheikhdoms of the Gulf—he contributors
articles,
in
seems to be seeking help from the
the puppet Saudi rulers into exile in
But the Saudis blamed Iran for fir-
Headquarters Riyadh—were votaries of Iran and ing the precision-pointed scud mis- likes of Imran Khan to damage con- letters, opin-
P O Box 1238, Anaheim, CA 92815 fighting its proxy war against KSA. siles that rained the fires of hell on trol. ion pieces,
Tel: 714-400-3400 reports, advertisements, etc
Fax: 714-400-3404 It’s not only Yemen that has cre- Abqaiq. And, in fact, before they Could it also be the Chinese appearing in Pakistan Link
E-Mail: Editor@PakistanLink.com ated so much bad blood between could point the finger at Tehran for asking King Khan to don the peace-
the Saudis and the Iranians. There’s that dastardly attack, their American maker’s mantle? and Urdu Link are their own.
the Iranian underpinning of the mentors had already jumped into Well, it isn’t such a far-fetched The paper neither shares
Pakistan Office Assad regime in war-torn Syria, or the fray, with Secretary of State Mike idea. After all, China is the biggest nor endorses them and thus
42 Rehman Court the dominance of Lebanon by the Pompeo, brazenly holding Iranian buyer of Iranian oil but has lately should not be held responsi-
Plaza Square, Off M. A. Jinnah Road Iranian-supported Hizbollah—de- directly responsible for it. been bothered by the punishing and ble for the views/opinions of
Karachi-74400, Pakistan the writers & advertisers.
tested by the Saudis—that adds to The hawks surrounding Trump biting US sanctions against Iran.
www.PakistanLink.com