Pakistan lauds Saudi role in Yemen peace dialogue

Pakistan on Monday welcomed the recent dialogue and diplomatic engagement towards peace in Yemen, lauding Saudi Arabia's role and its efforts in reinforcing the initiatives of the Sultanate of Oman and the UN Special Envoy for Yemen.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised the Saudi efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the Yemeni crisis, expressing belief that they are timely and would promote peace, stability, and development in the region.

"Pakistan reiterates its principled support for a political solution to the Yemeni crisis through dialogue and consultation," the statement said.

Read more: Saudi-Houthi peace talks in Yemen's Sanaa conclude with further rounds planned

The Yemeni crisis has been bewing since 2014, when Houthi rebels took control of the capital, Sanaa, and forced President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia. The conflict has since escalated into a devastating war, resulting in a humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia, which leads a coalition that has been battling the Iranian-aligned Houthi group since 2015, is seeking a permanent ceasefire agreement to end its military involvement in a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and left millions hungry.

The statement from Pakistan comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to resolve the Yemeni crisis. The conflict, in which the coalition intervened against the Houthis after they ousted the Saudi-backed government from Sanaa in late 2014, is a multifaceted one with several Yemeni factions vying for influence.

The Houthis are the de facto authorities in northern Yemen. The internationally recognised government is represented by the Political Leadership Council (PLC), which was formed under Saudi auspices last year and took over power from Yemen's president-in-exile.

The conflict is widely seen as one of several proxy wars between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the region's major powers.

Riyadh and Tehran last month agreed to restore diplomatic ties severed in 2016, raising hopes that Yemen's peace process would see progress, as Saudi Arabia moves to manage regional tensions and to focus on economic priorities.

Iran has officially invited Saudi Arabia's king to visit the country, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday, after the two regional rivals agreed to end years of hostility following a China-brokered agreement in March.

On Monday, Saudi Arabia released another 104 detainees to Yemen, the International Committee of the Red Cross and a Saudi-led coalition said, in a unilateral move that follows simultaneous detainee exchanges between Yemen's warring parties. 

The Saudi military coalition said the additional release was to support dialogue in continuing efforts to end Yemen's conflict.