“Why does our government let the Saudi royals do what they like with this country. Bad enough that last year Saudi Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz was given a licence to hunt the endangered houbara bustards, a bird on the brink of extinction. Even worse was that instead of killing his allotted 100, he slaughtered 2,100 – a “jaw-dropping” violation that felt like an open insult. This year the government gave the the Saudi princes blank licences to kill to their hearts’ content. It seems that as long as the Saudis keep funnelling cash their way, Pakistan’s elite lets the sheikhs do whatever they want – be it destroying our environment or poisoning our youths’ minds “with their petro-funded madrasahs”. The cash isn’t even used to fund infrastructure or jobs; it all ends up in our officials’ pockets. How wonderful it must be for the Saudis and their Pakistani accomplices to be members of an unaccountable elite that knows the law is only applied ‘to the common man’”. (published under the heading, “The licence we give the Saudis – the bustards”, by Gul Bukhari, The Nation, Lahore).

The Saudis are constantly buying sophisticated weaponry, yet are doing little or nothing to fight ISIS, because they can’t rely on the loyalty of their own military. It’s reassuring to see a Pakistani writer opposing the Saudi-funded madrasahs, which help ensure another un-educated generation that countries like Pakistan can ill afford, and which are doing their bit to radicalize Sunni youth everywhere they operate. But as for the attitude of Pakistani politicians towards the Saudis, European and American politicians and arms manufacturers behave in the same toadying manner towards this arrogant crowd of princelings, who contribute so little that is positive to the world.