ISLAMABAD: Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Friday said that no decision to participate in war on Yemen has been taken and that Pakistan has only pledged to safeguard the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
He stressed on Pakistan’s role as ‘facilitator’ to end the conflicts in the Muslim world.
“Instead of aggravating the situation by participating in it, Pakistan should do what it can to prevent it ? for the alliance and unity of the Muslim world,” the defence minister told the National Assembly . “Pakistan is ready to adopt whatever role is needed in order to facilitate the termination of conflicts in the Islamic world.”
“We will not take part in any conflict that could result in differences in the Muslim world, causing fault-lines present in Pakistan to be disturbed, the aggravation of which will have to be borne by Pakistan,” he asserted.
The request from Riyadh comes at a time when the Pakistan military is engaged in an operation against terrorists in North Waziristan. Asif’s reference to ‘fault-lines’ hints at Pakistan’s widespread sectarian conflict, as a result of which Shia and other religious minorities are targeted in tit for tat killings by extremist groups.
The defence minister’s statement comes a day after Saudi Arabia said that Pakistan will join its operation against Iran-backed Shia militants in Yemen, for a conflict that is rapidly escalating into a murky civil war. The minister’s announcement today apparently rules out Pakistan’s immediate participation in the Yemen conflict.
“Division on the basis of religion or sect is rising in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Instead of conflagration or proliferation … It should be contained,” he added.
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