Pakistan weighs Saudi plea to join Yemen operation

Pakistan has announced that it would send a top civil-military delegation to Saudi Arabia to assess security situation after Riyadh's request that it join a coalition to defend Yemen's president.

Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said in briefing that Pakistan was examining the request by Saudi Arabia.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting on Thursday evening to discuss recent developments in the Middle East, according to a statement by his office.

Prime Minister said that Pakistan enjoyed close and brotherly relations with Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries and attaches great importance to their security.

The meeting concluded that any threat to Saudi Arabia's territorial integrity would evoke a strong response from Pakistan.

"It was, therefore, decided that on 27th March a delegation comprising Federal minister for defence and advisor to PM on national security would visit Saudi Arabia to assess the situation," said the statement.

The oil-rich Sunni kingdom has already begun air-strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen, the region's most impoverished country, now on the brink of civil war, with potential to become a battleground for Riyadh-Tehran rivalry. Iran has denounced the air-strikes.

Aslam said the kingdom had asked Pakistan to join the coalition.

"I can confirm we have been contacted by Saudi Arabia in this regard. The matter is being examined. That's all I have to say at the moment," she said.

She said Pakistani community in Yemen has been alerted in view of the current situation, but no decision has been taken to shut down the embassy.

"The Embassy has also been alerted. Since, they are on the ground, they have to give their assessment of the situation. If the assessment is that situation has reached a stage where they need to be evacuated then they will be evacuated," she said.

According to sources, the Saudi monarch Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for military help during his visit to the oil-rich kingdom, earlier this month.

According the analysts, Pakistan has found itself in awkward situation as it cannot turn down Saudi request due to close ties with the kingdom. But it also enjoys good ties with its neighbour Iran.