Pakistan PM seeks joint parliament session over Yemen conflict

Islamabad, April 2: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday asked President Mamoon Hussain to convene a joint session of Parliament's both houses on April 6 to discuss the Yemen conflict.

The decision came in the wake of a high-level meeting chaired by Sharif at the PM House, in which the civil and military leadership discussed the Yemen crisis and Pakistan's possible role in the conflict, Dawn online reported.

An official communique said the meeting strongly condemned the actions in Yemen to overthrow a legitimate government, and called upon the warring factions to resolve all issues peacefully.

"Given the close historical, cultural and religious affinities between the people of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, it was reaffirmed that any violation of Saudi Arabia's territorial integrity will evoke a strong response from Pakistan," the official statement said.

"The meeting decided that concerned authorities will stay engaged with their Saudi counterparts in this regard," the statement added.

The premier directed that efforts must continue till the evacuation of all Pakistanis stranded in Yemen.

During the meeting, the participants acknowledged that Pakistan fully supported the security of Saudi Arabia. However, they said that the crisis in Yemen should be resolved peacefully.

The meeting took place after a Pakistani delegation returned from Riyadh, where it was furnished with the demands of the Saudi leadership and discussed with Saudi officials the possible solutions to escalating violence in Yemen.

Sharif said the crisis in Yemen must be brought to an urgent end through diplomacy and dialogue.

The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, the prime minister's advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant to the premier Tariq Fatemi, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhary, army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Amaan, acting Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Khan Hasham bin Saddique and other senior officials.

IANS