Gen Raheel can’t be called back: Sartaj

Says he was not sent by the government but took Saudi assignment in personal capacity; Pakistan to remain neutral in Qatar crisis; adviser briefs Senate body on foreign affairs

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Wednesday told the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs that former chief of the army staff General (retd) Raheel Sharif had taken command of the 41-nation Saudi-led military coalition in his personal capacity and was not sent by the government and thus could not be called back.

The adviser was briefing the committee on the ongoing diplomatic rift in the Middle East that began after Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Yemen and the Maldives severed their ties with Qatar.

During the committee session, PPP Senator Kareem Khawaja had voiced his dissatisfaction with Pakistan’s role in the Gulf crisis and added that the former army chief should be asked to return to Pakistan voluntarily.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Senator Shibli Faraz pointed out if Raheel Sharif was asked to return, Pakistan’s relations with Saudi Arabia would be negatively affected.

Sartaj Aziz told the committee that Raheel Sharif was not sent by the government to lead the alliance and, therefore, could not be asked to return.

He added that the resolution adopted by parliament on the Yemen conflict would serve as the foundation for the role Pakistan would play in the current Gulf crisis.

The adviser said that Pakistan would maintain the position of neutrality in the deepening Gulf crisis and would refrain from interfering in the affairs of other countries.

Committee Chairperson Nuzhat Sadiq said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had not only met Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud as part of his mediatory efforts in the Gulf but also spoken with Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani on phone regarding a resolution to the rift.

According to members of the committee who spoke after the briefing, Sartaj Aziz told the senators that Pakistan had adopted a neutral policy in the recent rift between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Sartaj Aziz said Pakistan would not take any sides in the recent standoff between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.“Pakistan doesn’t want to interfere in other countries matters and will stick to its non-partisan policy on the Middle East issue,” he said.