Opposition parties call for APC, joint session of parliament on Yemen situation

KARACHI: A meeting of leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Balochistan National Party- Awami (BNP-A) was held in Bilawal House, Karachi on Wednesday to discuss the latest situation in Yemen and its implications for Pakistan.

The meeting presided over by PPP co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari was attended by President ANP Asfandyar Wali Khan, Farooq Sattar of MQM, Rashid Mahmood Soomro of JUI-F and Israrullah Zehri BNP-A, along with their aides.

The participants of the meeting expressed grave concern over the situation in Yemen and its implications for the region and also for Pakistan.

Expressing concern over the recent developments they said that the stability and integrity of the Gulf and all countries in the Middle East was of paramount importance and called for resolving the present crisis through dialogue and negotiations.

The meeting demanded the government to immediately convene an All Parties Conference (APC) and joint session of the Parliament and take the nation into confidence and to propose a way forward.

The meeting expressed the firm belief that the centrality of Saudi Arabia was pivotal for the Muslims of the world and that Pakistan’s response should reflect this belief.

The meeting stated that the gravity of the issue demanded that no one individual should take any unilateral decision without broad based discussion and consultation with all political parties and stake holders.

PPP co-chairman and former president Zardari said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should take opposition into confidence on Pakistan’s stance and involvement on Yemen developments.

He went on to say that the protection of Harmain and Sharifain is the duty of the Muslim Ummah and that Saudi Arabia has always helped Pakistan in difficult times.

PPP’s Sherry Rehman said that all opposition leaders have unanimously called upon the government to review the Yemen issue and “propose a way forward.”

MQM’s central leader Farooq Sattar said that the government should consult all political parties to devise a national policy on Yemen’s issue.

Those who attended the meeting on behalf of their parties also included from the PPP Sherry Rehman, Spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar and Senator Qaum Soomro, from the ANP Senator Shahi Syed and Younus Buneri, from the MQM Sardar Ahmad, from the JUI-F Qari Usman and Maulana Abdul Qayum and Syed Ehsan Shah and Abker Bugti from the BNP-A.