National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence strongly opposing sending Pakistani troops to Yemen has adopted the stance that such an action could lead to volatile implications in the country, which the current government is incapable to handle.
The committee met here on Tuesday with Rohail Asghar in the chair. Defence Secretary Lieutenant General (retd) Alam Khattak said that the Pakistan Army would abide by the government’s decision on whether to send troops to Saudi Arabia to partake in a military campaign in Yemen.
This was the first time that the Defence Secretary spelled out the official stance of the Pakistan Army on sending troops to Saudi Arabia to partake in a military campaign in Yemen. His brief comment came in response to a volley of questions by committee members as to whether military troops would be sent to the Saudi kingdom.
Chairman Sheikh Rohail Asghar maintained that the Pakistan Army should chase terrorists regardless of their location but women members belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) had a different point of view.
On the other hand, there appeared to be a divide among committee members whether Pakistan should send troops to Saudi Arabia. Member Committee MNA Musarrat Zaib said that Pakistan should avoid sending troops to Yemen as it’s not our war and we have enough on our plate.
MNA Kishwar Zehra said that there is no threat to Makkah and Madina hence the army should not go.
