Operation Decisive Storm: PM assures Saudis of military support

High-level delegation to visit Riyadh shortly to assess situation and discuss modalities

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has supported the Saudi-led military coalition in its operation against Houthi rebels in Yemen and offered Riyadh “all potentials of the Pakistan Army”, according to the state-run Saudi news agency. Premier Nawaz in a telephone conversation with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud also expressed full support for the operation ‘Decisive Storm’ in Yemen.

The development came a day after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told lawmakers in the lower house of parliament that the government has made no decision on whether to commit military support to the Saudi-led coalition intervening in Yemen.

Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, who addressed a hurriedly called news conference Saturday night, diplomatically ducked questions on the Saudi news agency’s claim. However, sources told The Express Tribune that the Saudi monarch and Premier Nawaz discussed three key issues in their telephone interaction.

King Salman apprised the prime minister of the ongoing two-day Arab League conference at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh and asked what and how Pakistan could play a role in the Saudi-led coalition’s intervention in Yemen, sources said.

The summit will conclude on Monday where, according to sources, a broad-based and justifiable plan of action would be devised for Yemen.

Sources further said that Pakistan has already decided in principle to support Riyadh and a high-level delegation would leave for the Saudi capital within 48 hours to assess the situation and finalise modalities for support.

Sources said Saudi Arabia knows well that Pakistani forces were already stretched thin in the fight against terrorism and that Riyadh would happily accept Pakistani commandoes for special operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Pakistan Air Force could also play its role in supporting the commandoes during any mission assigned to them in Yemen.

Foreign Secretary Chaudhry told journalists that Premier Nawaz and the Saudi king talked over phone Friday night and discussed the regional situation. “Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is important for Pakistan and for the sake of the two holy mosques in the kingdom every Pakistanis can sacrifice his life,” he added.

The top diplomat said that both countries were in contact and a high-level delegation would leave for Riyadh within 24 or 48 hours to assess the situation and subsequently Pakistan would take a decision on what kind of support it could offer. He added that the nation would be taken into confidence before making any commitment.

Foreign Secretary Chaudhry said a top civil-military huddle on Thursday discussed the unfolding events in the Middle East. The meeting concluded that any threat to Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity would “evoke a strong response from Pakistan”. He said that both countries supported each other through thick and thin. And Premier Nawaz reiterated in Saturday’s telephone conversation with the Saudi monarch that the security of Saudi Arabia was very important for Pakistan.

Sources claimed that Pakistani’s civil and military leaders in their recent trips to the kingdom had already agreed to send troops to Saudi Arabia. And the recent visit of the emir of Qatar was also part of such an understanding. Sources said the military leadership has also apprised the prime minister of possible fallouts of sending troops to Saudi Arabia.


Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2015.