The integration took place when Pakistan got a cold shoulder from some Arab countries of the Persian Gulf within the past few years, and their relations have become fragile replete with up and downs. Although the fluctuations have caused Pakistan to make changes in her strategy towards Persian Gulf region as well as the Islamic countries, but she failed to distance herself from the continuation of interaction with countries like Saudi Arabia and UAE, the range of interactions with the Islamic countries and the type of relations with them are only changing from unilateral dependence to bilateral cooperation.

That’s why Abu Dhabi and Riyadh have continued to be the destinations of Pakistani senior officials such as Imran Khan, Prime Minister, and General Bajwa, Chief of the Army Staff. Moreover, Islamabad has felt a multilateral threat from East and West in view of close relations of Arabs with India, as the most important rival or in a way, the enemy of Pakistan from one hand, and Israel as a land where has not been recognized by Islamabad from other hand. Therefore, within the framework of the gradual changes on its foreign policy approach, Pakistan has made effort to settle her disputes with the Persian Gulf as well as the regional countries, and to reduce tension in her relations with all countries even her rivals and enemies and also accepted to make effort to sort out her regional challenges like Kashmir. Having acted with relative assurance about the inclination of Muslims of the region towards herself, and enjoying the support of the UN resolutions, Pakistan has always sought for the mediation of the third countries in recent years to sort out the issue of Kashmir.

The beginning of the new developments on Kashmir referred to the remarks of the former US President Trump in July 2019 when he claimed that Prime Minister Modi asked for the US mediation on Kashmir, which was later rejected by New Delhi. In August 2019, India revoked the self – autonomy status of Kashmir. Border tensions and clashes between India and Pakistan increased afterwards. After 18 years, it was in February 2021 when the two sides suddenly agreed on a ceasefire. Further to a secret meeting between the intelligent officers of the two countries in January 2021 in Dubai, it was on April 15, 2021 when the remarks of the UAE Ambassador to Washington on the mediation of his respective country to reduce the tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad, cleared the doubts and suspicions to the surprising agreement.

Further to the recent trip made by Imran Khan Prime Minister and General Bajwa, Chief of the Army Staff of Pakistan to Saudi Arabia, Faisal Bin Farhan, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia welcomed the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in an interview on May 10, 2021 and added that his country can play a role in reducing tension between India and Pakistan. Any mediation by Riyadh for talks on Kashmir was rejected in the course of Imran Khan’s trip to Saudi Arabia, yet Foreign Minister Qureshi welcomed the idea of Saudi mediation. This approach of Saudi Arabia, apart from her differences with UAE, can be considered as a complementary measure to sort out Kashmir issue. Despite the efforts made by Abu Dhabi to attain a regional and international prestige during the recent years, the Country has not gained a decent position to sort out chronic disputes like Kashmir. Having supported by the US and Zionist regime and with a positive view of India, Saudi Arabia has taken the measure.

There are a couple of issues on Indian attitude about Kashmir: Firstly, unlike past years, when India was not showing a positive reaction and called Kashmir a bilateral issue, this time despite the remarks by an official like the UAE Ambassador to Washington on mediation (not just suggestion) they kept their lips sealed. Secondly, on accepting negotiation with Pakistan and mediation of a third party (as a withdrawal from her traditional position), and also in view of the Kashmiri Muslims’ passion towards Pakistan, India needed a mutual concession to get an upper hand which gained in 2019 with revoking of self-autonomy status of Jammu and Kashmir. Interestingly, in a recent interview Qureshi the foreign minister of Pakistan called the cancellation of article 370, which is about the revoking of Kashmiri self-autonomy status, as an internal issue of India which was rejected by the opponents inside Pakistan. Qureshi then changed his attitude and called Jammu and Kashmir as an international issue which has nothing to do with internal affairs of India. Imran Khan then proposed any negotiation with India would be subjected to the restoration of self-autonomy status of Jammu and Kashmir. The two positions taken after the preliminary expression of Qureshi on Article 370 and in view of internal protests, are aimed at tranquilizing domestic atmosphere of Pakistan and therefore, can’t be meant as a twist of approach by the Pakistani governance for settlement of Kashmiri issue.

Therefore, UAE (and Saudi Arabia) in line with India as well as the Pakistani interests and requirements, have played a mediator role between them. Although it is not expected that the result of Kashmir negotiations will be finalized quickly, but the trend of developments implicates that there is serious will behind negotiations. In case any development happens on this issue, the presence of Arabs, their interests and their supporters like Israel in Sub-continent region will be more than ever in the past and Pakistan will be favored. Pakistan will, more or less, continue to announce its official and declared positions on Kashmir until the final result of negotiations is materialized. While this happens, moderated positions will be announced to assess the reactions of Pakistani society as well as the regional and international ones. Even in his speech dated March 2021, General Bajwa, Chief of the Army Staff of Pakistan did not refer to the international substance of the dispute or self-determination right of Kashmiri people. Instead, he called for India to create a suitable atmosphere in Kashmir (occupied) by the Country for resumption of talks and peace process. Meanwhile, Pakistan will gain decent concessions for her withdrawal from some traditional positions on the vital issue of Kashmir. It is not clear yet whether the concession would be a political, security or economic one on Afghanistan or else.