A principled diplomatic position

If there is any role for Pakistan in Yemen crisis it is that of negotiator and facilitator

At 6.30pm on April 13, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif addressed the nation regarding the Pakistan response to the request for military support by Saudi Arabia in its actions in Yemen. Speaking in English the prime minister essentially endorsed the line that was taken by parliament at the conclusion of a five-day debate on April 10; namely that Pakistan will adopt a position of neutrality and strive via diplomatic channels for a resolution to the conflict in Yemen. The prime minister reiterated our support for Saudi Arabia in the event of its sovereignty being in any way threatened — which thus far it has not been — and he said, “Pakistan does not abandon its friends or strategic partners.” Indeed not, but Pakistan is also master of its own destiny in terms of the development and implementation of foreign policy, acting in the best interest of the people and the government of the day. There are inevitably going to be times when Pakistan and its various partners internationally are not all on the same page or reading from a similar script — and this is one of them.



Let there be no misunderstanding — the conflict in Yemen is in no way a fight that Pakistan can or should be a part of. Were Pakistan to commit militarily to the conflict it is entirely possible that that would be seen by Iran – with whom we share a long land border — as an act of aggression. If there is any role for Pakistan in this matter it is that of negotiator and facilitator, effectively neutral, and working to bring various parties together in search of a peaceful solution and this the prime minister acknowledged in his address. The Arab world needs to understand that Pakistan may be a brotherly Muslim country, but it determines its own foreign policy mandated by a democratically elected government. Saudi Arabia has more than enough weapons in its armoury to fight its wars, and we have enough wars of our own to fight. We support the government position in this matter and endorse the statement given by the prime minister. There may be difficult diplomatic times ahead, but the correct decisions have been made.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 14^th,  2015.

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