Political solution for Yemen: Pakistan to mount diplomatic push

PM to contact leaderships of brotherly countries to help forge unity among Muslim states

ISLAMABAD:

Amidst raging confusion over Pakistan’s possible role in bringing stability to strife-torn Yemen, a high-powered civil-military huddle decided on Monday that Islamabad would initiate a diplomatic offensive to facilitate a political solution to the worsening security crisis in the Arabian Peninsula.

The move could help Pakistan avoid embroiling in the conflict militarily due to its huge repercussions.

The meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, agreed that Pakistan must play a “constructive role” in defusing the situation instead of committing troops at this stage. An official statement issued after the meeting said the prime minister would be contacting the leadership of brotherly countries to facilitate early resolution of the crisis and to promote peace and unity in the Muslim Ummah.

The meeting, attended by the three services chiefs, ministers for defence and finance and premier’s top aide on foreign affairs, also urged the United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the international community to play a constructive role in finding a political solution to the bloody conflict in Yemen.

The conflict in Yemen is seen as a ‘proxy war’ between Saudi Arabia and Iran which is why Pakistan is holding back its decision to send troops there.

A senior official said the prime minister would approach the Iranian leadership as well as leaders from key Muslim countries to find a way out of the crisis.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said that Pakistan was firmly committed to supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Pakistan. However, the top civil and military leadership could not take a final decision on whether or not to send troops to Saudi Arabia or join the Saudi-led military coalition against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Defence Minister Khawja Asif, who also attended Monday’s huddle, confirmed that no decision had yet been made on troops’ deployment in Saudi Arabia.

A senior government official, who did not want to be named, told The Express Tribune that there was little possibility of Pakistan committing troops for the Saudi-led military coalition. The official said the civil and military leadership agreed that Pakistan must not have boots on the ground in Yemen.

“Even if the situation arises, then our troops will remain confined to the borders of Saudi Arabia and that too for the protection of Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity,” the official explained. He made it clear that any such decision would be taken on ‘public forum and not in secret meetings’. The official did not rule out the possibility of a special session of parliament on the issue.

There have been conflicting reports about Pakistan’s decision with some international media outlets claiming that Islamabad was all set to send troops to Saudi Arabia. Some Arab news channels had linked the ongoing joint military exercises between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia with the deployment of troops.

However, the chief military spokesperson clarified that Pak-Saudi joint military exercises were pre-planned and the presence of 292 troops there was not an operational deployment.

In a tweet on microblogging site Twitter, ISPR Major General Asim Salim Bajwa explained that the joint exercises called ‘Samsam’ are held every year. The last exercises, he said, were held in Pakistan near Jhelum.

The issue of extending support to Saudi Arabia, particularly committing troops, has become tricky due to its possible negative fallout. While major parties are in favour of extending support to Riyadh for protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity, they are calling for exercising extreme caution on the issue of joining the military alliance against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Pak team to visit Riyadh

A Pakistani delegation, headed by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif,  is to travel to Riyadh today (Tuesday) for crucial talks with Saudi Arabia on the Yemen situation. The delegation also comprises premier’s aide on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz and representatives of three armed forces.

The visit was rescheduled twice due to Saudi leaders’ preoccupation with the Arab League summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh and consultations among the Pakistani civil and military authorities. The Pakistani delegation will assess the situation firsthand and discuss assistance Saudi Arabia may require from Islamabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2015.