Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has submitted a resolution in the parliament to discuss Pakistan’s participation in the Saudi-led Islamic military alliance.
It says that this was a critical issue and should have been duly discussed in the parliament. PTI has also asked to call joint parliament session on this issue. It was announced on Thursday that Pakistan was part of the Saudi Arabia-led military alliance to counter terrorism.
Taking cogniscance of Article 40 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan which states, inter alia, “The State shall endeavour to preserve and strengthen fraternal relations among Muslim countries based on Islamic unity, … and encourage the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means,” the resolution read.
#PTI Resolution on KSA-led Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism (IMAFT) (11.April 2017) pic.twitter.com/3wVJSOER3t
— PTI (@PTIofficial) April 12, 2017
“Learning from the country’s history, that it was not in Pakistan’s national interest to get involved in others’ wars as its people were still suffering the consequences of such involvements in the past, PTI expresses grave concern over the government’s decision to join the military alliance,” it added.
“Decision has been taken following consultations between the committee members,” said PTI MNA Asad Umar. “The government will be asked to take parliament into confidence.”
Earlier, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that the basic purpose of the force was to combat terrorism. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had also said that the decision to appoint Raheel Sharif as head of the 39-nation coalition was an administrative decision, not linked to Yemen crisis.