ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs Senator Sartaj Aziz Tuesday said Pakistan will not send ground troops to Saudi Arabia or any other country after having joined the 34-state Islamic military alliance led by Saudi Arabia.
This was stated by the Adviser during an in-camera meeting of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, held in Islamabad under the Chairmanship of Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, MNA Tuesday.
According to a statement issued after the meeting, Sartaj Aziz briefed the Committee about the recent tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, as well as Pakistan’s position on this issue in detail while explaining Pakistan’s historical traditional relations with the two brotherly countries.
Aziz told the committee that Pakistan is playing its role to diffuse tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia. “An emergency meeting of OIC foreign ministers has been summoned in Jeddah where Pakistan would present important proposals to reduce Iran-Saudi tensions.”
In order to de-escalate the tensions between two countries Pakistan will play its due role keeping in view its national interest and people’s aspiration.
After the conclusion of the meeting the chairman answered the questions of a group of journalist and said that the committee collectively appreciated and thanked the chairman for holding in-camera meeting of the foreign affair committee on a very important and crucial subject at the moment which has provided an opportunity to them to register their party’s point of view on the issue.
He further said that committee endorsed the stance adapted by the foreign office. However, the Parliamentarian expects from the Executive Branch of the state that they must be kept in picture at each stage on all such national and international issues in the best interest of Pakistan and its people.
He added, all members of the committee belonging to different parties expressed their concerns over the emerging issue and hoped that with the support of the Parliament and a reconciliatory role by the Pakistan’s Political leadership can defuse the tensions between the two brotherly countries to avoid disunity in Muslim Ummah which can benefit the enemies.
The Chairman also added that under the umbrella of OIC, Pakistan should also work to promote the brotherhood among the Muslim states and play its effective role for resolution of differences through peaceful dialogue and reconciliation.
The meeting was attended by Honorable Members of the Committee, Mr. Muhammad Khan Daha, Mian Najeebuddin Awaisi, Mr. Asghar Ali Shah, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi, Dr. Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari, Dr. Muhammad Farooq Sattar, Mr. Ghous Bux Khan Maher, Mr. Mehmood Khan Achakzai, and Ms. Naeema Kishwar Khan. Senior officer of the Ministry of foreign affair also attended the meeting.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last month announced the formation of a 34-state Islamic military coalition to combat terrorism, according to a joint statement published on state news agency SPA.
“The countries here mentioned have decided on the formation of a military alliance led by Saudi Arabia to fight terrorism, with a joint operations center based in Riyadh to coordinate and support military operations,” the statement said.
A long list of Arab countries such as Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, together with Islamic countries Turkey, Malaysia, Pakistan and Gulf Arab and African states were mentioned.
The announcement cited “a duty to protect the Islamic nation from the evils of all terrorist groups and organisations whatever their sect and name which wreak death and corruption on earth and aim to terrorise the innocent.” NNI
