https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/20/pakistan-appoints-former-military-general-as-saudi-envoy
After the retirement of Raja Ali Ejaz, Lieutenant General Bilal Akbar has been appointed by Pakistan’s leader to better the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The relationship between these two countries has gone downhill since Pakistan ordered the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to do more in resolving the Kashmir conflict. This led to a back and forth between the countries, including Pakistan not repaying Saudi Arabia’s loans until the past few months. Pakistan’s foreign leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi has been on regular calls with Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, to mend their relationship.
Pakistan forming closer ties with the Saudi Arabia through a realist perspective is very beneficial for Pakistan. Because the OIC is mainly controlled by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan being friendly toward the Saudi government could let them end up with more of Kashmir. It can also prevent them from paying the rest of the loan that they owe soon. From a liberal perspective, Pakistan hopes that the new appointee will reassure Saudi Arabia that the Pakistan government will cooperate with the OIC in order for there to be peace among the countries. This perspective is about the reciprocity that Pakistan will want back.
Because Bilal Akbar has a background in the military, he offers a different perspective that Pakistan has not seen in a while. Pakistan choose Lieutenant Akbar for a reason, whether it benefits the region or Pakistan only. There’s a possibility that Pakistan may want to start a bilateral military agreement with Saudi Arabia in the future. The way that the Kashmir conflict is heating up with India, Pakistan might need it. Saudi Arabia may also have their own intentions of letting Pakistan back into an alliance. While Saudi Arabia and Pakistan relations may be getting better, it takes one wrong move from either side to start this process all over again.