Daily Times

After the previous day’s session that was marred by a rumpus over the return of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) lawmakers to parliament, a sensible debate was held on the important issue of Pakistan’s response to the Saudi request for military help in the Yemen war. While addressing the joint session, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif tried to dispel a number of the concerns of parliamentarians. He quelled the impression that the government would take any decision in respect of sending troops to Yemen on its own. Rather he said it would act according to the recommendations of parliament. The premier called upon Iran, Turkey as well as other non-Arab states like Malaysia and Indonesia to intervene and play their role in finding a political solution to the ongoing conflict in Yemen. While speaking about the scanty information provided by the defence minister about the Kingdom’s request to Pakistan for military help, the prime minister supported the government’s discretion. He stressed the need for exercising extra care on this delicate issue. The approach is sensible as the country is already passing through a very critical phase and it cannot afford further turmoil due to any leakage of information about the government’s response that is still in gestation. It is a tough choice for the government to either fully stand by Saudi Arabia or stay neutral in the conflict. It is not going to be easy for Pakistan to blatantly refuse the Saudi request for military help, given that Saudi Arabia has helped Islamabad in times of need. At the same time, Iran is our immediate neighbour and it would not take too kindly to our involvement in Yemen. Once sanctions are lifted against Iran as a result of the nuclear agreement with the west, the energy import and trade potential between the two countries cannot be ignored. We need to find a way out of this difficult position. Indeed a consensus is being built in parliament over the issue because not a single MP has spoken in favour of sending troops to fight in Yemen. Rather most of the parliamentarians have stressed the need for a solution to the Yemen conflict through reconciliation and urged the government to play a mediatory role.

During the address, the premier talked about diplomatic moves by the government in the wake of the ongoing civil war in Yemen. He hinted at convergence of views to some extent that emerged during his recent visit to Turkey. Islamabad is hinging hopes on the Turkish president’s recent meetings with Iranian and Saudi high officials that might pave the way for formulating a future strategy. In any case, Pakistan is not in a position to join the Saudi-led coalition that could inflame a sectarian conflict at home. In fact, the nature of the ongoing civil war in Yemen is not completely sectarian as is being projected by the media. At best it is a Middle Eastern proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Yemen has descended into conflict between several different groups. The main fight is between forces loyal to the beleaguered President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and those allied to the Zaidi Shiitte rebels known as Houthis. The conflict between the Houthis and the elected government is also seen as part of a regional power struggle between Shia-ruled Iran and Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia. But the Houthis are minority Shiittes from the north, and their dominance has not been recognised by the Sunni tribes and southern leaders mostly belonging to left-wing groups. This complex situation portends further chaos in Yemen.
Amid all this turmoil, the response by the non-Arab Muslim states to the Yemen conflict is positive. The leadership of these countries is calling for a political solution through reconciliation rather than any military intervention. It is a sensible approach that is being demonstrated by stakeholder countries, especially by Pakistan, which has been infamous for plunging into proxy wars of other countries in the past. There are clear indications that a consensus is emerging in parliament over the issue. Almost all parliamentarians seem to agree that Pakistan should extend all-out support to Saudi Arabia but it should not become part of any military offensive in Yemen. It is appreciable that the government is focused on the national interest and not bypassing parliament while making a decision regarding the Yemen conflict. *