“Pakistan has not yet taken any decisions on the Saudi request, ” Ambassador Zaheer Janjua said.
Yemen is currently the scene of armed clashes as Houthi forces continue to overrun areas controlled by troops loyal to displaced President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who fled the country amid the escalating violence.
The ambassador stressed that regardless of the decision Saudi Arabia remains “strategic ally and close brotherly country that always stood by Pakistan.”
Earlier this week, the media, quoting a senior Pakistani government official, reported that Pakistan will send troops to Saudi Arabia to join the coalition fighting Yemeni Houthi rebels. Ambassador Janjua denied the allegation, echoing a previous statement by Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaj Asif.
The air campaign, initiated by Saudi Arabia last week, came a day after President Hadi’s call for help. Apart from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan, Pakistan and Egypt are participating in the coalition; with intelligence, targeting and logistical support provided by the United States.