Pakistan won’t send its troops to Saudi Arabia: Sartaj Aziz

Mr. Aziz made this policy statement before the meeting of parliamentary committee on foreign affairs chaired by Owais Laghari.

“Pakistan wont be a part of toppling or constituting governments in any foreign country,” said Mr. Aziz in his in-camera briefing to the parliamentary body.

He underlined that Pakistan would only provide arms and technical support to the Saudi in its combat against terrorism. “Neither Saudi has asked for the troops, nor we are sending them.”

The PM’s advisor said Pakistan had advised the Saudi government to end its conflict with other countries through peace.

He said Pakistan would contribute to eliminate terrorism, but won’t send troops to any foreign country. “It is against our foreign policy,” he added.

Pakistan on January 8 welcomed Saudi Arabia’s initiative to form a military coalition of 34 countries to fight “terrorism” in the Islamic world.

The gesture came as Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir met with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad.

Riyadh announced the formation of the coalition last month signalling a more assertive foreign policy by the kingdom.

“The prime minister affirmed that the people ofPakistan will always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Saudi Arabia against any threat to territorial integrity and sovereignty of Saudi Arabia,” said the statement issued after PM Sharif’s meeting with Saudi minister.

Sharif called for the “resolution of differences through peaceful means in the larger interest of the Muslim unity in this challenging time”.