New Delhi: Amid the Houthi offensive on Saudi Arabia, Riyadh wanted Pakistan to offer it security as a member of the Mecca Pact. Islamabad instead offered songs.
In two videos released by the military’s press wing, ISPR, the Pakistan Army extolled the ‘brotherly, unbreakable bond’ between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
What is even funnier is that the four-and-a-half-minute song is titled ‘Ek Duje Ke Dil Aur Jaan’ — the heart and soul of each other.
The lyrics go: ‘Ye rishta hai apni shaan, ek duje ke dil aur jaan, Saudia-Pakistan.’ The song was released Wednesday as ‘a strong and lasting tribute’ by the ISPR to Riyadh on Saudi Arabia’s 96th National Day.
In the comments section under the YouTube video, Pakistani citizens cannot stop fawning over the production.
“It is truly a memorable and beautiful effort to convey the feelings of friendship between Pakistan and Saudi using music,” YouTuber Jamshed Chaudhry wrote.
On Instagram, Pakistani users are responding with laughing emojis. One user said the country has taken memes seriously. Another said this is “Pakistan’s contribution to Makkah Defense Alliance.”
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Songs over action
In a separate eight-minute video, ISPR celebrates the “everlasting bond of brotherhood”. It adds that Pakistan had bonds with Saudi Arabia even before its ‘independence’, and that in 1940, Saudi King Abdul Aziz travelled to Karachi to meet members of the Muslim League.
This is not the first time. Immediately after signing the Mecca Pact, which also includes Turkey, Pakistan transferred musical instruments to Mecca and, within an hour, also brought out a song.
Pakistan had transferred several dozen dholaks, some tablas, harmoniums, flutes, alghozas, shehnais, sarangis, rubabs, sitars, chimtas, manjiras, tangporas, ektaras, nagaras, kartals and damrus. The roughly seven-minute song itself celebrated the relationship among the three countries. It spoke of “in Mecca, hearts gathered, longing and loyalty met, and the bond of friendship,” and described the countries as three brothers.
The song also incorporates all three languages associated with the partnership: Arabic, Urdu and Turkish.
Analyst Ayesha Siddiqa, however, posed a question: “I am sure MbS (Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia) is more interested in action in Yemen, so why this musical signalling to Pakistanis?”
(Edited by Saptak Datta)