Pak political parties urge fmr army chief not to join Saudi-led alliance

EghtesadOnline: Pakistani political parties have expressed serious concerns over the appointment of former army chief General (retired) Raheel Sharif as commander of the Saudi-led military alliance.

News ID: ۷۷۵۰۲۹

01 April 2017

Leaders of Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan (MWM) and Sunni Ittehad Council in a press conference here urged Raheel Sharif to turn down the new job as it could have serious implications for Pakistan.

According to IRNA, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan (MWM) Secretary General, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri expressing his views said that General (retired) Raheel Sharif has not taken a wise decision. He added the majority of Pakistan is against the decision of former army chief.

The religious leader added that for the past two years Saudi Arabia has been committing war crimes in Yemen and this alliance is formed to pursue Saudi war on Yemen.

“Why don’t they form alliance against Zionist regime to liberate the land of Palestine?” he asked.

He strongly believed that General (retired) Raheel Sharif must not become part of a controversial alliance, adding that such a decision could also damage his reputation and respect which he has earned during his tenure as the army chief.

He said that those countries that are fighting against Daesh and defeating the terrorist group are not included in the military alliance. “It is an American led alliance,” he said.

Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri said that any alliance formed under the OIC would be acceptable to all Islamic countries.

Chairman Sunni Ittehad Council Sahibzada Hamid Raza added that the government is hiding the facts regarding the appointment of General (retired) Raheel Sharif as commander of the Saudi-led military alliance.

“We strongly oppose the decision of Raheel Sharif and we request him to reconsider his decision,” said the religious leader.

He said if he joined the Saudi-led military alliance, he would lose his prestige and credibility which he earned by launching operation against the takfiri terrorists in Pakistan.

He said that Saudi-led military alliance is not in the interest of Arabs or Muslims, but that alliance was aimed at destabilizing Arab Muslim nations.

Hamid Raza also criticized the government of Pakistan for allowing General (retired) Raheel Sharif to command the controversial military alliance.

Earlier Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost denounced the Saudi-led military coalition and reiterated that coalition for peace is the need of the hour for Muslim nations and Pakistan could play a vital role in bringing the Muslim nations closer to each other.

Pakistani analysts, former diplomats and opposition parties have also criticized the new move by Pakistan government to issue the NOC (No Objection Certificate) to former army chief General (retd) Raheel Sharif to assume the command of controversial Saudi-led military alliance.

In April 2015, after an extraordinary weeklong debate, Pakistani parliament unanimously approved a resolution urging the government to stay neutral in the face of demands from Riyadh to join its military campaign in Yemen.