Iran’s proposal

Is it possible to bring a swift end to the gunfire and aerial bombardment that is tearing Yemen apart, affecting thousands of civilians and drawing country after country into the conflict? With Pakistan possibly poised to send its troops to support the Saudi-led coalition fighting Shia Houthi rebels in the country, we certainly hope this can prove to be the case. Right now, the entire Arab world seems to have become a part of the fighting – with Islamabad having already allied itself strongly with the Saudis. This commitment to a nation that has helped it in difficult times, both economically and politically, comes as no surprise. Chairing a high level security meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reaffirmed that Pakistan would defend Saudi Arabia. At around the same time, a Pakistani delegation led by Defence Minister Khwaja Asif, visiting Riyadh to meet with Saudi leaders, received a request to join the force fighting in Yemen.
Even as we watch the historical city of Aden go up in flames, with efforts on to rescue by sea Pakistanis stranded there, perhaps we – and the world – should be thinking not of war but of peace. A way needs to be found to settle matters; a way that does not involve bombs and further loss of lives. In a significant development, Tehran has suggested a resolution may be possible. The Iranian deputy foreign minister has spoken of the possibility of dialogue. These are words the world needs to hold on to. The war in Yemen, pitting the exiled President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, whose government is now based in Riyadh, against Shia rebels is a proxy one between two regional powers. But right now, even as Iran continues to ward off attacks from the west, perhaps rationality rather than rhetoric should prevail. Humanitarian needs demand this – and these should come before all else. People matter more than politics or power. It is their blood that is spilled in times of war. The Red Cross has already complained of lack of access to conflict-hit people in Yemen. On an immediate basis both sides need to find a way to ensure that aid workers can reach the injured and the distressed. In the slightly longer term a way needs to be found to end a conflict that like the vortex in a storm draws in more and more dangerous currents. Pakistan too needs to focus its energies on this and direct its foreign policy efforts to a route that can lead to peace. The political and military leadership need to be on the same page and the opposition parties have wisely demanded an all-parties conference to have a full-fledged discussion on this matter as there are visible fissures in the public opinion. Pakistan must tread very carefully before it jumps in this intra-Islamic regional war. But hopes must be pinned on the Iranian initiative. Peace can be achieved – and the chance must not be frittered away.