ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said that Pakistan’s stance is clear it will not directly involve in any conflict.
Taking to media persons in Islamabad on Monday, the minister however made it clear that any threat to the security
of Saudi Arabia is a matter of concern for the whole nation.
The minister said that Pakistan is closely monitoring developments taking place in Yemen where on Thursday Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies launched military operations including air strikes to counter Iran-backed Houthi forces.
Iqbal further said that safe return of all Pakistanis stranded in the war-torn Yemen is the top priority of government. He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is personally looking into the matter and is in touch with the Pakistani envoy to Yemen Dr. Irfan Yusuf.
The minister said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have friendly and brotherly relations, and they support each other in thick and thin.
Meanwhile addressing a function in Lahore, the Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that Pakistan will fully defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Saudi Arabia.
“Saudi Arabia is our great friend, which always stood by Pakistan through thick and thin,” the minister said.
Last week, the Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said at her weekly news briefing in Islamabad that Saudi Arabia had contacted Pakistan to provide assistance to overcome the ongoing crisis in Yemen, and Islamabad was examining Riyadh’s request to join the Gulf-led operation against Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen.
A high-level delegation comprising the defence minister and the Prime Minister’s Advisor on National Affairs and Foreign Security Sartaj Aziz is due to leave for Saudi Arabia either on Monday or in the next few days to assess the situation.
