PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD: A day after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s cynical colleagues in parliament cast doubts over the official policy statement on the Saudi appeal for assistance in the Yemen crisis, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz scrambled to find ways to reach wider political consensus on the contentious issue. A number of MPs found the outlined policy lacking in substance.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is now likely to convene an in-camera all-party conference (APC) to sit down with the heads of all political parties to come up with a course of action.
A top-level source in the federal government accused the MPs of playing to the gallery.
“And the government has been unable to get the backing of the house over Saudi Arabia’s requests, which has led to the premier mulling over an in-camera session with all political leaders to reach a consensus on the Yemen issue.”
PM Nawaz is expected to convene the session in the coming days to discuss with all political heads the details of the oil-rich kingdom’s requirements and how to respond to them.
During the joint session on Monday, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman had demanded that the federal government convene an in-camera sitting to discuss the Yemen issue and the Saudi wish-list. Other political leaders also backed Rahman’s demand.
While the premier feels that all the politicians who spoke during the joint session neither opposed supporting the Saudi-led military operation nor backed the government statement, political analysts have been left wondering why the government only read out the statement and refrained from sharing any relevant details.
A source claimed that the top civil-military leadership has already decided against declining Saudi Arabia’s requests, but considering public sentiments, a diplomatic resolution is needed from the parliament in favour of the kingdom. “After that, the premier would decide how to fulfil the kingdom’s demands.”
PM Nawaz has been advised to win over the heads of all political parties to endorse the civil-military leadership’s decision to support Saudi Arabia, claimed a source.
Another source said PPP Co-chairperson Asif Zardari has already announced support for the kingdom, but in the joint session his party remained diplomatic on the subject. “Zardari has already floated the idea of an in-camera APC, which was supported by ANP and PML-Q leaders as well.”
Sources said that after reaching a consensus during the APC, the decision would be passed in a joint session of the parliament in the form of a resolution. They said the military leadership also approves of holding an in-camera briefing.
A source said the civil-military leadership had decided to shorten the joint session lest it becomes counter-productive.
He said that “in the in-camera sitting, the premier will brief the political heads on the diplomatic role of the country on Yemen and the effective role of Iran in that region”.
“Officials from the Foreign Office will brief the participants on the diplomatic issue while the military will focus on fulfilling Saudi Arabia’s requests,” he added.
So, will the PTI support the resolution? “The federal government, with the support of some other stakeholders, will try to win over the party on the subject,” said the source.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2015.
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