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Top Pakistan officials visit Saudi Arabia for Yemen crisis

Xinhua, April 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

Senior Pakistani officials left for Saudi Arabia Wednesday for talks on the conflict in Yemen days after the country's parliament urged the government to remain neutral, officials said.

Saudi Arabia had formally requested Pakistan to provide fighter jets, warships and ground troops, the country's Defense Minister Khwaja Asif told the parliament.

A Saudi cabinet minister, who has wrapped up his three-day visit to Islamabad, called on Pakistan to join the Saudi-led war on the Houthis rebels in Yemen.

Chief Minister of Punjab province, Shahbaz Sharif, who is also younger brother of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, is leading the delegation to Saudi Arabia after some allies of this gulf country have criticized Pakistan's neutral policy.

Sharif defended the parliament's call in a televised address this week but reiterated support to the territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia.

Officials said the Pakistani delegation will meet Saudi foreign minister and other senior officials.

"Shahbaz Sharif's visit is being viewed as significant in the wake of current regional situation," state media said.

Prime Minister Sharif on Monday called for restoration of the government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The prime minister did not give any hint about Pakistan's military support in his address to the nation but declared his government will defend Saudi Arabia if its territorial integrity is threatened.

The United Arab Emirate (UAE), an ally of Saudi Arabia in the conflict, had criticized what it called "Pakistan's vague stance" on the issue.

Pakistani Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had rejected the UAE's remarks as "insult to the sentiments" of the people.

As part of diplomatic efforts, Prime Minister Sharif traveled to Turkey last week and the Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif visited Islamabad.

Sharif said he had conveyed to the Iranian foreign minister that the violent overthrow of the legitimate government in Yemen by the Houthis had set a dangerous precedent that was fraught with risks for the entire region. He also called on Zarif to use Iran's influence to bring the Houthis to the negotiating table. Endi