- Source says Pakistan, Saudia have quietly agreed to keep Pakistan Army away from Yemen
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have reached a “quiet understanding” under which the Kingdom would no more seek “boots on ground” from Pakistan while any violation of the territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia would be strongly responded by Islamabad.
The understanding will greatly help the Pakistani government which was under immense diplomatic stress for not being able to send troops to its decades-long ally Saudi Arabia.
Relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan suffered a blow recently after the government declined sending troops to take part in the Yemen offensive launched by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to tame Houthi rebels and help reinstate the ousted Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
“Under the agreement, Saudi Arabia would no more seek Pakistan Army’s help in neutralising the rebels in Yemen. Rather, the GCC forces would deal with the matter on their own,” a source in the Saudi Embassy told Pakistan Today.
“However, Pakistan would strongly respond if the security of Saudi Arabia is threatened,” the source said, adding that after the visit of Saudi Arabian minister to Pakistan, Saudi authorities took stock of the political pressure faced by the government after the parliament had passed a unanimous resolution not to send troops to Yemen war.
“We understand the situation here in Pakistan and after getting the first-hand knowledge of the situation, the Kingdom has decided not to press for Pakistani boots on ground in Yemen,” the source added.
Asked whether it was an attempt to create a false impression that Pakistani troops were not being sent to take part in the Yemen attack, the diplomatic source brushed aside the notion, saying that in “today’s world of media invasion”, no country could camouflage its participation in a war.
“Actually, the Saudi Arabia-led GCC alliance has made some major gains in the battlefield recently. Moreover, the UN sanctions over Houthi rebels would help greatly to cut supplies and ammunition to the rebels who have already been pushed back a lot,” the source added.