Parliament to decide about role of Pakistan in Yemen Conflict: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Thursday that 1000 Pakistani troops are in Saudi Arabia, however, parliament will decide what role Pakistan should play in Yemen conflict.

The government has called a joint session of the parliament on April 6 (Monday) in which the parliamentary parties would be briefed about the whole conflict and what expectations Saudi government has attached with Pakistan, the minister said.

Khawaja Asif said the parliament would be taken into confidence before taking any decision over the issue, adding that national interest would be the top priority.

The second priority of the government was to keep intact the unity of the Muslim Ummah, he said.

The minister said whatever decision the parliament would take the government would accept and honor it.

Unlike in past when sensitive decisions were made on one telephone call the incumbent government would give weightage to the parliament, he underlined.

Asif said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would also take Turkey and Iran into confidence before taking any final decision.

He said being the only atomic Muslim country, Pakistan had a unique place among the Muslim Ummah and that it wanted to play a leading role to resolve the conflict and establish peace.

Pakistan enjoyed close brotherly relations with Saudi Arabia besides having defence arrangements with it, he said, and added the territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia would be defended.