Raheel Sharif leading Saudi alliance in personal capacity: Sartaj
Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs said Pakistan will stay neutral Middle East diplomatic crisis
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Adviser to the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, said Wednesday the former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Raheel Sharif took the assignment of heading Saudi-led military coalition in his personal capacity.
He was briefing the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Senator Nuzhat Sadiq, about state’s position on the 41-nation ‘Islamic’ military alliance to counter terrorism. Aziz told Sharif was not sent to Saudi Arabia officially by the government. This contradicts with the earlier statements of Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif in which he told, during an interview, that the government had allowed Raheel Sharif to lead the military alliance. Sharif had left for Saudi Arabia after issuance of No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to lead the ‘Muslim NATO’.
PHOTO (APP): Meeting of Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Senator Nuzhat Sadiq
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Senator Shibli Faraz opined that Pakistan’s ties with Saudi would deteriorate if Raheel Sharif is asked to return and leave the job. On this, Aziz responded saying he cannot be asked to return as government did not send him.
Pakistan s stance on Gulf crisis
He said Pakistan will stay neutral on the diplomatic crisis in Middle East, involving Qatar boycott by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Egypt, the Maldives and Yemen. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Kareem Khawaja suggested that the ex-COAS should return to his homeland in the wake of Saudi-Qatar rift. Aziz said the resolution adopted by Pakistan on Yemen conflict in 2015 will serve as the base of its role on foreign policy in ME diplomatic crisis.
Earlier, Foreign Office as well as the members of National Assembly had shown concerns over the Middle East diplomatic crisis. The legislative body had passed a resolution to show restraint and recommend dialogue between the Gulf countries.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif along with Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had visited Riyadh to play the role of mediator between the two nations. FO stressed the need of unity of Muslim Ummah, and the they had no plans of cutting ties with Qatar.
