Raheel Sharif leading Saudi military alliance will bring unity to Muslim world: Janjua

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Nasir Janjua said on Monday that former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Raheel Sharif leading the Saudi military alliance will bring unity to the Muslim world.

Speaking at a one-day conference on security challenges in the Indian Ocean, Janjua stressed that with his experience General (retd) Sharif will remove misunderstandings among Muslim countries. “Iran and other countries opposed of the alliance will also benefit from this.”

The government of Pakistan has agreed to give a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to General (Retd) Raheel Sharif to lead a 39-nation alliance of Muslim states led by Saudi Arabia.

The revelation was made by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in Geo News programme Jirga.

The minister said that official documentation in this regard had not been done but the government had agreed in principle, adding that the government had received a written request from the Saudi government.

Asif added that he had visited Saudi Arabia for Umrah earlier this year, and had also met officials of the Saudi government.

He said that in May the advisory board of defence ministers of member countries will attend a meeting held in this regard, adding that the structure of the alliance had not been decided so far. “When General (Retd) Raheel Sharif joins he will define a structure,” he said.

Securing sea routes essential

After 9/11 when terrorists attacked the World Trade Centre in New York securing sea routes for countries became essential, National Security Adviser Nasir Janjua said.

The United States and India have become major strategic partners in the region, he said, adding that apart from India 300,000 military personnel from the United States are currently stationed in the Indian ocean.