ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Finance Minister Khawaja Asif has said that Pakistan wants peaceful solution of the Yemen crisis through political and diplomatic means.
In his address
at the joint sitting of the Parliament convened in Islamabad on Monday to discuss Pakistan’s role in the escalating conflict in Yemen, the minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s pledge to defence Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty at all costs.
“If there is any threat to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Saudi Arabia, then Pakistan will play its due role in its defence,” the minister said.
During the session, the defence minister apprised the parliament of the latest situation of Yemen and Pakistan’s efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully.
The defence minister said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is in close liaison with the neighbouring countries and has also visited Turkey in this regard and will also visit other regional countries for more consultations.
The minister said that the Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Javed Zarif will also visit Pakistan on April 8 to discuss the Yemen conflict.
Khawaja Asif further said that Pakistan is the only country today which is fighting the terrorists head on. He said that we have sacrificed over 50,000 lives and suffered a loss of more than $100 billion to ensure global peace but no one came to our help in this war.
Later, the House was adjourned till 5:00 pm today on the request of the opposition so that the prime minister could attend this significant gathering that will determine Pakistan’s role in the Middle East conflict. The prime minister was busy in a meeting with the visiting Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena in Islamabad at the time when the Parliament’s joint session was taking place.
Earlier, the joint sitting of the Parliament began in Islamabad with Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair to discuss latest developments in the Middle East with focus on Yemen.
The session was convened by President Mamnoon Hussain on the advice of the prime minister to devise a national policy towards the emerging situation in Yemen.
PTI attends joint session of parliament
The lawmakers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) including the Chairman Imran Khan also attended the joint sitting of the Parliament today to specially discuss the evolving situation in Yemen.
“We have special relations with Saudi Arabia and all the Muslims are willing to sacrifice their lives for the defence of Haramain Sharifain,” Imran said earlier while talking to media in Islamabad.
Imran said that he would himself present his party’s viewpoint on the issue during the session.
Earlier, the PTI core committee decided to return to the Parliament after promulgation of an ordinance to form a judicial commission to probe the alleged rigging in May 2013 general elections.
