Pakistan Willing to Consider Military Support for Yemeni Gov't
The spokesperson for the Pakistani army, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, confirmed his country's readiness to provide all necessary support to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, noting that Islamabad will consider any official request it receives to provide military support to the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
In an interview with "Independent Arabia" published on Sunday, Chaudhry said that his country will study any request submitted to it regarding support for the Yemeni government and make the appropriate decision, explaining that he does not know if Islamabad has received an official request in this regard.
The Pakistani military official stressed that Saudi Arabia's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the security of the Two Holy Mosques are "non-negotiable," confirming the continued provision of necessary support to the Kingdom, without revealing details for reasons of operational secrecy.
The statements come amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, coinciding with the activation of mutual defense commitments within the "Mecca Alliance," which includes Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey.
Chaudhry explained that the alliance is defensive and is based on Article 51 of the UN Charter, which guarantees the right of states to self-defense, stressing that any direct or indirect attack on a member state will be met with a collective response.
He added that the alliance aims to enhance security, stability, and collective deterrence, noting that the three countries will use available means to establish deterrence if the measures taken do not achieve their goals.
Regarding the possibility of expanding the alliance's membership, the Pakistani army spokesperson said the door is open to other countries that agree with its members on the principles of regional security, stability, and collective deterrence, pointing out that decisions to join are up to the political, strategic, and military leaderships of the three countries.
Chaudhry affirmed the continuation of Pakistani diplomatic contacts with the concerned parties to de-escalate the situation, warning that expanding the circle of conflict will not serve the interests of the region's countries and peoples.
المصدر: Independent
