Pakistan

Yemen conflict: Parliamentary motion termed ‘inappropriate’

Religio-political parties want govt to make ‘bold decisions’

Our Correspondent April 12, 2015

Religio-political parties want govt to make ‘bold decisions’. PHOTO: REUTERS

ISLAMABAD: The country’s religio-political parties have termed the parliament’s resolution on the Yemen conflict “inappropriate” and demanded that the government make “bold decisions”.

A day earlier parliament passed a unanimous resolution declaring that Pakistan would stay out of the Yemen conflict.

The decision was taken after five days of deliberations over Saudi Arabia’s request for Pakistan to join the Gulf military coalition against Houthi rebels in Yemen, but the federal lawmakers advised the government against participating in the war.

They, however, endorsed the administration’s commitment to protect the kingdom’s territory if it were to come under a threat.

In a declaration issued during a conference on Saturday, the religio-political parties announced their “unflinching support” for Saudi Arabia and “readiness to sacrifice lives for the protection of Haramain and Sharifain”.

The conference – ‘Difa-e-Khadim-e-Haramain Sharifain’ (Protecting the Protector of the Noble Sanctuaries) – was organised by Jamiat Ahle Hadith and headed by PML-N Senator Prof Sajid Mir.

The religio-political leaders said parliament’s resolution was a “conspiracy to isolate Pakistan from the Muslim world”.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman said the Yemen conflict was not sectarian in nature, adding that the country was faced with a rebellion and not war.

“The world powers want to push Shias and Sunnis into a war with each other, and have adopted double standards over the Yemen issue.”

Talking about Iran-Pakistan ties, he said: “It is feared that our relations with Iran will be damaged [if we support Saudi Arabia]. If this is the case, then Iran should be asked if it has any relations with the Houthis.”

Prof Mir said Iran is our neighbour and a Muslim country so it should also reconsider its policies over the issue.

Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed claimed that parliament’s resolution does not represent the people’s sentiments.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (9)

S.R.H. Hashmi | 9 years ago | Reply While endorsing government's decision to protect the kingdom's territory if it were to come under a threat, the religio-political parties have termed the parliament's resolution on the Yemen conflict "inappropriate" and demanded that it make 'bold decisions". And going a step further, the resolution adopted by the Parliament after five days of deliberations was declared by the religio-political parties as "a conspiracy to isolate Pakistan from the Muslim world" adding "The world powers want to push Shias and Sunnis into a war with each other, and have adopted double standards over the Yemen issue." And Jamaatud Dawa's chief Hafiz Saeed took upon himself the responsibility of speaking for the people - without any mandate given to him by the people to speak for them - and declared that parliament's resolution does not represent the people's sentiments. For once, the parliament made the right decision which received wide appreciation from the politicians, the armed forces, the writers and the masses - in fact by all right-thinking people who have vision and can see the overall picture, have interest of Pakistan and the Ummah close to their heart and are not prepared to sacrifice these for some gains which may look attractive in the short-term but may prove most devastating in the long run. Saudi Arabia and Iran have been fighting a proxy war in order to expand their influence over the whole of Middle East, as also in Pakistan. With the elimination of Saddam Hussain, Iran's influence expanded all the way up to Syria. To counter this, Sunni states created a Sunni force but in time, it turned into Daesh which is now threatening both Sunnis and Shias. Of course, it made sense for Pakistan not to become a part of this madness, add fuel to the fire and become part of the proxy war which is doing great damage to the Ummah as a whole. Pakistan has discussed the matter with Turkey as also with Iran and has made it very clear to Iran that it will not tolerate violation of the territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia. This, plus the strong action taken by the Arabs will discourage Iran from taking an adventurous stance in Yemen and will force it to back down, thus paving the way for a negotiated solution to the Yemen problem which is just about the best solution. Having seen clearly that this Shia-Sunni rivalry has only harmed the Ummah, it is definitely time to get over it and for Sunnis and Shias to work together for the progress and prosperity of us all. After fighting world wars, the European countries are now on the best of terms with each other, and there is no reason why we can not do the same. It would help if our Ulemas and Maulanas got out of their shells and developed a progressive, broad-minded and reconciliatory approach to problems instead of asking others - who are on the right path - to change course. And after Nawaz Sharif's latest statement, no one should have any doubt that Pakistan would safeguard the territorial integrity of all friendly Muslims states, without getting involved in their petty squabbles and negative activities against each other. Karachi

goggi (Lahore) | 9 years ago | Reply @Ahmed Haroon: Turkey is not a an Islamic state. The Turkish people are moderate Muslims and do not, unlike we Pakistanis, imitate or associate themselves with Arabs or Iranians! In the Turkey prevails since 1923 Secularism, i.e the separation of state and religion. Secularism is one of six basic principles of Kemalism (after Mustafa Kemal Atatürk) which includes the abolition of the Ottoman caliphate, the abolition of Arabic script, the introduction of the Gregorian calendar instead of the Islamic lunar calendar, the introduction of compulsory education and gender equality. And above all, Turkish people love Pakistan!

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Ch. Allah Daad | 9 years ago | Reply @Ahmed Haroon: Majority of the countries mentioned in your are already involved in internal wars or are failed states. Perhaps you don't know but hundreds of thousands have already been killed in these so called neutral states. The two important countries in list are Malaysia and Turkey. Malaysia has already committed full support to Arab states which leaves Turkey alone. At its border's, Islamic history's worst civil war is being fought and Turkey's role in that war is such that devil would feel shame on Turkey. Staying neutral in a conflict in which your brother or friend is involved is worst kind of hypocrisy and opportunism. Hope you don't do it with your friends and family.

RKM | 9 years ago | Reply Enforce NAP on these people. Saudi funded humans are in front of you. Nab them.

Ahmed Haroon | 9 years ago | Reply All these folks should be dispatched to Yemen to participate in this new Jihad. Following Muslim countries have chosen to remain neutral in this war: Malaysia Indonesia Turkey Most Central Asian Republics Lebanon Tunisia Algeria Oman Countries considered under Iranian influence: Iran Iraq Syria The resolution is perfect in its wordings, you can ask your friend to defend you maybe even avenge you but if someone asks you to resort to retribution of ones ego they are clearly not a friend.

hm | 9 years ago | Reply "...parliament’s resolution does not represent the people’s sentiments." Er ... yes it does.

reason2015 | 9 years ago | Reply Parliament did reflect the public sentiment at large but indeed do not reflect those medrassah owners and muntazim's who are in the payroll of UAE and SA...for their bail out packages

Blithe | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan is more evolved now and has democracy and parliment .

Mirza | 9 years ago | Reply These are all losers and except Fazal none of them has representation in NA or Senate. Only losers and strategic assets of foreign powers would go against our combined unanimous assemblies.

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