Pak involvement in Saudi Alliance is of “voluntary nature”, says Sartaj Aziz

Islamabad, Pakistan: The statement of Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz regarding participation of Pakistan into Saudi-led alliance has expressed diplomatic complexities and confusion over the issue of joining Saudi-let Alliance as Aziz said that Pakistan would decide to join this alliance after consultation with Saudi Arabia but same time he said that involvement of Pakistan in alliance was of “voluntary nature”.

“Participation of Pakistan in Saudi-led 34-nation coalition against terrorism is of voluntary nature and Pakistan will decide to join this alliance with total support and accordance with its requirements and priorities”.

According to DND News agency, this was said by Advisor to PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz while talking to media here on Wednesday at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad. He believed that Pakistan’s participation in the 34-nation coalition against terrorism was just to political objectives against terrorism and Pakistan had joined the Saudi initiative on voluntary basis.
“This alliance is not compulsory, but voluntary and all countries [including Pakistan] would decide in accordance with their own requirements and priorities,”. Sartaj Aziz said the decision about the extent of participation would be made after the bilateral and collective meetings.
“Our decision would be in accordance with our national policies,” he said.
Regarding not taking parliament into confidence before joining the coalition, he said the Parliament had already settled the policy guidelines on counter-terrorism.
“As long as we work within those guidelines, no further approval is necessary but arliament would be consulted if ever some major decisions were to be taken”, he maintained. He said in next few days, broader bilateral consultation would be held on this matter.
When asked to comment on the participation of Iran and Syria in coalition, Sartaj said, “We cannot prescribe who should do what.”

Saudi Arabia announced its alliance against ISIS and names of Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Oman were included while Indonesia, Malaysia and Oman regretted their participation in the alliance and Pakistan also expressed that its name was not included in the list with its permission. However, Pakistan announced its participation next day.