Pakistan has to pay a heavy price: UAE minister

DUBAI: Threatening Pakistan with having to pay a heavy price, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) minister has strongly condemned the Pakistani decision to stay out of the conflict in Yemen and to reject Saudi demands for Islamabad to join its military coalition against Houthi rebels.
“The Arabian Gulf is in a dangerous confrontation, its strategic security is on the edge, and the moment of truth distinguishes between a real ally and the ally of the media and statements,” UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash tweeted after a unanimous resolution passed by a special session of Pakistan’s parliament.
The resolution, however, backed the government’s commitment to protect Saudi Arabia’s territory, which has so far not been threatened by the conflict.
Gargash said Pakistan was required to show a clear stand in favour of its strategic relations with the six-nation Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as contradictory and ambiguous views on this serious matter would cause a heavy price to be paid.
“This is nothing but another chapter of a laggard impartial stand,” Gargash said, criticising the identical views held by Turkey and Iran about the armed conflict in Yemen, as affirmed by the Turkish foreign minister, who said a political way out of the crisis was the responsibility of Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
“Tehran seems to be more important to Islamabad and Ankara than the Gulf countries,” Gargash said and added, “Though our economic and investment assets are inevitable,

political support is missing at critical moments,” Gargash said.
“The vague and contradictory stands of Pakistan and Turkey are an absolute proof that Arab security — from Libya to Yemen — is the responsibility of none but Arab countries, and the crisis is a real test for neighbouring countries.”
The Pakistan parliament resolution turned down long-standing ally Riyadh’s request for troops, ships and warplanes, saying: “Pakistan should play a mediating role and not get involved in the fighting in Yemen.”
“The parliament of Pakistan … underscores the need for continued efforts by the government of Pakistan to find a peaceful resolution of the crisis,” the resolution said.
“(Parliament) desires that Pakistan should maintain neutrality in the Yemen conflict so as to be able to play a proactive diplomatic role to end the crisis.” – NNI
Online adds: Pakistan deferred its stance over the reaction of the UAE on parliament’s decision asking Islamabad to remain neutral in the Yemen conflict.
When asked for Pakistan’s official version over the comments by the UAE official, the spokesperson at the Foreign Office said, “We don’t have any confirmation of what exactly has been said and by whom; I have no comments at the moment.”
Asiri said while Pakistan’s participation would be an addition to the coalition, its absence in the operation wouldn’t affect the coalition’s work.