Pakistan debates Yemen crisis as Saudis push for Islamabad involvement
Kamran Yousaf
Press TV, Islamabad
In a policy statement before the parliament, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawja Asif has admitted that Saudi Arabia is pushing Pakistan to become part of its aggression in Yemen.
This is the first time Islamabad has publicly acknowledged that Saudi Arabia is seeking Pakistani support against AYemen’s Ansarullah fighters.
But the Saudi demand has put Pakistan in a difficult situation given the huge repercussions of becoming a party to the Yemen war.
Main Pakistani opposition parties have agreed the country should not become a part of the ongoing Saudi-led invasion of Yemen.
The debate in the parliament will now determine as to what extend Pakistan is willing to accept the Saudi demands.
Saudi Arabia launched air strikes against Yemen on March 26 without a UN mandate in a bid to reinstate the country's fugitive former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.
Knowing the possible negative fallout of joining the Saudi military intervention, Pakistan has called for a political solution to the conflicts in Yemen. Pakistan's defense minister told the Parliament that Islamabad is in contact with other Muslim countries including Iran over the worsening situation in Yemen.
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