Nawaz playing proactive role on Yemen crisis

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is playing a proactive role in the context of the Yemen crisis, which is somewhat similar to what he did during the 1991 Gulf War.
Previously, Iraq had invaded and occupied Kuwait, threatening Saudi Arabia as well. At the time, the prime minister had undertaken a whirlwind visit of over half a dozen Muslim countries, discussing the Gulf war, trying to make his contribution to get the issue resolved.
This time, Nawaz Sharif is still to plan such a hectic visit to Muslim countries. However, he has decided to speak to top leaders of different Muslim states. Like every Pakistani, he is also eager that the Yemen conflict did not harm the Muslim Ummah and its unity in any way. While supporting Saudi Arabia unequivocally, Pakistan continues to maintain its good relations with neighbouring Iran, which has not publicly supported Yemeni rebels.
Apart from the views of the prime minister about Riyadh, Pakistanis undeniably love Saudi Arabia on deep religious grounds. Neither Nawaz Sharif or any other prime minister or president nor the armed forces can even think of not extending complete backing to Saudi Arabia in any crisis. Therefore, the prime minister’s offer to protect Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty is natural.
In 1991, the then Chief of Army Staff General Mirza Aslam Beg had created problems for the civilian government by standing with the naked aggression of the Saddam Hussain regime of Iraq. However, still Pakistan had sent troops to Saudi Arabia to protect holy sites that are immensely dear to every Muslim of the world.
The present government has repeatedly declared that it has not sent any army troops to Saudi Arabia and whenever such a decision will be taken, the parliamentary approval will be sought. The issue will be discussed threadbare in the Parliament when such an occasion will arise. A few hours after the top civilian and military leadership unanimously decided to back Riyadh, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif made a policy statement in the National Assembly.
Nawaz Sharif’s recent visit to Riyadh was directly related to the Yemen crisis although at that time Saudi offensive had not been launched. But the Yemen situation was aggravating due to collapse of the state machinery because of rebels’ activities. After that, the prime minister spoke to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Maqrin and assured Pakistan’s full support.
While the government has repeatedly stated that it would come to the Parliament in case of sending troops to holy land Arabia only to protect Saudi Arabia and would not take any hasty decision, some political parties are unnecessarily stressing that the prime minister should consult the legislature and call an all-parties’ conference. The government may not be averse to this idea if it planned deploying troops in Saudi Arabia.
Apart from what the prime minister has clearly told the top Saudi leaders during telephonic contacts, the visit of an elaborate Pakistan delegation, led by the defence minister, which also includes senior military officials, to Saudi Arabia, will be decisive as it will discuss the situation in the backdrop of the Yemen crisis.
The Arab League has fully supported military strikes against Yemen rebels and ten Gulf countries are part of the Saudi-led coalition, which is hitting the Yemen insurgents. The heads of its member countries met in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on March 29 and agreed to create a joint Arab military force. The grouping wants to tackle the Yemen crisis with its own resources and force.
The previous Gulf war, codenamed Operation Desert Shield, for operations leading to the buildup of troops and defence of Saudi Arabia was a battle waged by coalition forces from 34 nations led by the United States against Iraq in response to Baghdad’s invasion and annexation of Kuwait.
The Iraqi Army’s occupation of Kuwait that began on August 2, 1990 was met with international condemnation and brought immediate economic sanctions against Iraq by members of the UN Security Council. The then US president George Bush deployed American forces into Saudi Arabia and urged other countries to send their own troops to the scene. An array of nations joined the coalition, the largest military alliance since World War II. The great majority of the coalition’s military forces were from the US, with Saudi Arabia, Britain and Egypt as leading contributors in that order. Saudi Arabia had paid around $36 billion of the $60 billion cost.
The initial conflict to expel Iraqi troops from Kuwait had begun with an aerial and naval bombardment on January 17, 1991 continuing for five weeks. It was followed by a ground assault on February 24. This was a decisive victory for the coalition forces, which drove the Iraqi military from Kuwait and advanced into Iraqi territory. The coalition ceased its advance and declared a ceasefire 100 hours after the ground campaign started. Aerial and ground combat was confined to Iraq, Kuwait and areas on Saudi Arabia’s border. Iraq launched Scud missiles against coalition military targets in Saudi Arabia and Israel.