Islamabad- Syed Mushahid Hussain, a senior PML-Q leader today openly opposed any military engagement outside Pakistan, and rather Islamabad should play a ‘leadership role’ to resolve the Yemen crisis.
Taking part in the debate on Yemen conflict at the joint session of the Parliament, Hussain said “We should not have any military engagement outside Pakistan unless and until we put our house in order.”
Senator Mushahid Hussain said the conflict in Yemen is not a sectarian issue. He stressed that it is a Middle Eastern proxy war between Iran and Gulf power Saudi Arabia. "We feel indebted to Saudi Arabia for their support in the past," he said, adding that if there is a threat to Saudi Arabia's territorial integrity, Pakistan will have no qualms standing by their side.
He, however, said that Pakistan should avoid getting entangled in the Yemen conflict as it was not her war to fight. "Yemen is like Afghanistan. It is unstable. It is like a quicksand, nobody can come out of this, and there will be no winners in this conflict."
He further said, "We should ask our Chinese friends to ask for a ceasefire in Yemen in the United Nations and for holding dialogue and fresh elections".
Mushahid says Pakistan was fighting a major offensive in the northwest and it could not afford to send ground troops outside the country, as the army's first responsibility was to protect the lives of Pakistanis.
He says Russia and Pakistan should co-host Saudi Arabia and Yemen for negotiation. A ceasefire should be called for in the United Nations. PML-Q leader said that Islamabad should play a leadership role and both Pakistan, Turkey should co-host talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran.