Pakistan Navy ships to inspect vessels destined for Yemen

ISLAMABAD: The compliance of the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on Yemen that Pakistan has announced, entails involvement of Pakistan Navy to inspect Yemen-bound ships in order to implement the arms embargo.
On Friday, Pakistan put in place necessary measures on the force of the UNSC resolution to carry out assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo, suspected of carrying weapons for Houthi militia and forces loyal to former Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Thus, an international instrument is available to fall back on if and when Pakistan decides to send its naval warships and use other tools against Yemeni rebels.
A high-powered delegation led by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, which visited Saudi Arabia four days back, also affirmed to the Saudi leadership that Pakistan would fully participate and contribute to the implementation of the UNSC resolution, and discuss the possibility of expanding Pakistan’s cooperation with Riyadh in compatibility with the UNSC resolution, and pursuant to paragraphs 10 and 11 of Parliament’s motion passed on April 10.
In these paragraphs, the Pakistani resolution expressed unequivocal support for Saudi Arabia and affirmed that in case of any violation of its territorial integrity or any threat to Haramain Sharifain, Pakistan will stand shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia and its people; and expressed deep concern at the increasing threats posed by different terrorist groups and non-state actors to the security and stability of the region and advises the government to enhance its friendship and cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and all other regional countries in combating extremism and terrorism.
Pakistan’s steps including involvement of naval ships will be specifically based on paragraphs 14, 15, 16 and 17 of the UNSC resolution, which provide for arms embargo.
They say the UNSC has decided that all Member States shall immediately take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to, or for the benefit of Ali Abdullah Saleh, Abdullah Yahya al Hakim, Abd al-Khaliq al-Huthi, and the designated individuals and entities and those acting on their behalf or at their direction in Yemen, from or through their territories or by their nationals, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and spare parts, and technical assistance, training, financial or other assistance, related to military activities or the provision, maintenance or use of any arms and related materiel, including the provision of armed mercenary personnel whether or not originating in their territories.
The resolution called upon Member States, in particular States neighbouring Yemen, to inspect, in accordance with their national authorities and legislation and consistent with international law, in particular the law of the sea and relevant international civil aviation agreements, all cargo to Yemen, in their territory, including seaports and airports, if the State concerned has information that provides reasonable grounds to believe the cargo contains items the supply, sale or transfer of which is prohibited by the resolution for the purpose of ensuring strict implementation of its provisions.
The resolution decided to authorise all Member States to, and that all Member States shall, upon discovery of prohibited items the supply, sale, or transfer, seize and dispose (such as through destruction, rendering inoperable, storage or transferring to a State other than the originating or destination States for disposal) of such items and decides further that all Member States shall cooperate in such efforts.
These measures imposed by the UNSC apply to Abdulmalik al-Houthi and Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh. The resolution said that Abdulmalik al-Houthi is a leader of a group that has engaged in acts that threaten the peace, security, or stability of Yemen.
In September 2014, Houthi forces captured Sanaa and in January 2015 they attempted to unilaterally replace the legitimate government of Yemen with an illegitimate governing authority that the Houthis dominated. Al-Houthi assumed the leadership of Yemen’s Houthi movement in 2004 after the death of his brother, Hussein Badredden al-Houthi. As leader of the group, al-Houthi has repeatedly threatened Yemeni authorities with further unrest if they do not respond to his demands, and also detained President Hadi, prime minister, and key cabinet members. Hadi subsequently escaped to Aden. The Houthis then launched another offensive towards Aden assisted by military units loyal to former president Saleh and his son, Ahmed Ali Saleh.
According to the resolution, Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh has engaged in acts that threaten the peace, security, and stability of Yemen. He has been working to undermine President Hadi’s authority, thwart Hadi’s attempts to reform the military, and hinder Yemen’s peaceful transition to democracy. Saleh played a key role in facilitating the Houthi military expansion. As of mid-February 2013, he had issued thousands of new rifles to Republican Guard brigades and unidentified tribal ‘shaykhs’. The weapons were originally procured in 2010 and reserved to purchase the loyalties of the recipients for political gain at a later date.
The resolution said that after Saleh’s father, former Republic of Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh, stepped down as President of Yemen in 2011, Ahmed Ali Saleh retained his post as commander of Yemen’s Republican Guard. A little over a year later, Saleh was dismissed by President Hadi but he retained significant influence within the Yemeni military, even after he was removed from command.