Islamabad will not become part of any anti-Tehran agenda: Pak officials

Daily ‘The Nation’ said that officials in Pakistan Foreign Ministry told the newspaper that since Pakistan valued its ties with both Saudi Arabia and Iran, it could not annoy any one of them.

Pakistan says Saudi-led coalition is not a sectarian movement and it is not against Iran.

“We have been in contact with Iran in the recent days and have tried to clarify Pakistan’s position. We have told them Islamabad was part of any anti-terrorism alliance but not an anti-Iran alliance,” said an official, citing contacts with the Iranian counterparts.

Another foreign ministry official said that Pakistan had assured Iran it would not let the alliance become sectarian in nature.

“Iran says it will wait and see how the alliance goes but they have their fears. Pakistan values its ties with both Iran and Saudi Arabia,” he added.

Earlier, Pakistan government allowed former army chief General Raheel Sharif to command a Saudi-led military alliance. Pakistan itself is a member of the alliance.

The targets and programs of the Saudi-led coalition have yet to be announced clearly over one year after its formation.

Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammed Asif said that the Saudi government had formally requested Pakistan seeking General Sharif’s services. “Raheel Sharif has been allowed to join the military alliance,” he said.
The alliance was formed by Saudi Arabia in December 2015 with its headquarters in Riyadh.

Many Pakistani analysts, university professors, different political parties and groups believe that Pakistan is going through various internal problems including terrorism and solving these problems should be the priority of the government rather than joining a foreign coalition.

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