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Yemen War
As war in Yemen continues, Saudi Arabia has formally sought military support from Pakistan in its ongoing offensive against Houthi rebels. A Saudi-led coalition has been bombing Houthi fighters fighting against Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The request was made at a meeting between a Pakistani delegation headed by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affair Sartaj Aziz and Saudi officials held in Riyadh on Wednesday.
According to media reports, Saudi authorities told the Pakistani delegation that its military help is inevitable to stop the Houthi rebels from further marching on the Saudi border. The defence minister said Pakistan considers it its religious obligation to protect the holy cities from any foreign aggression.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday called for a joint session of parliament on Monday, April 6, to consider whether to join the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. The prime minister also made it clear that all decisions in this matter will be taken in accordance with the wishes of the people of Pakistan. Pakistan also condemned the actions by rebels in Yemen to overthrow a legitimate government and called for a peaceful solution to this matter.
Meanwhile Houthi fighters and their allies in Yemen seized a central Aden district on Thursday, causing a heavy blow against the Saudi-led coalition. They have also reportedly fought their way into a presidential residence.
MQM in Hot Water
After a raid on Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s head office in Karachi and arrest of several workers, MQM is now facing problems in United Kingdom as well, as London Police has arrested its leader Muhammad Anwar on suspicion of money laundering.
A press statement issued by the party after Anwar’s arrest said that MQM firmly denies any suggestion of money laundering. Anwar, who is a member of the MQM’s coordination committee, lives in London and has close association with party chief Altaf Hussain.
Meanwhile earlier this week, workers allegedly belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) attacked Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Ismail’s vehicle while he was on way to oversee preparations for an upcoming rally in Karachi on April 19. Men attacked the convoy and smashed the windows of PTI leader’s car after which a scuffle broke out between the workers of both parties.
The issue finally settled down when Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad intervened on directions of MQM chief Altaf Hussain, who earlier in the day offered the PTI to hold its rally at Jinnah Ground in connection with the by-election in NA-246. Leaders of both parties also agreed to formulate a code of conduct for the upcoming April 23 by-election in Azizabad (NA-246) constituency.
PTI, PML-N Standoff Ends
Formation of judicial commission had long been a point of contention between Pakistan Muslim League and Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf but the standoff ends now as PML-N government and PTI has formally signed an agreement, paving the way for setting up a judicial commission to probe PTI’s allegations over the May 2013 general election. A seven- page agreement has been signed for the promulgation of an ordinance for setting up the probe commission.
PML-N’s Ishaq Dar thanked both the negotiating teams for reaching a consensus. Ishaq Dar also expressed hope that with the initiation of this process, the uncertainty over the issue should subside now. PTI Senior Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi also expressed hope that this agreement would strengthen the democratic system manifold.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on March 20 had agreed to form a judicial commission to probe allegations of 2013 poll rigging. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took all political parties into confidence over the process of negotiations with PTI. The matter was deliberated upon in details and all political leaders in the parliament, despite having legal reservations, decided to support the formation of a judicial commission.
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