Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, army chief to visit Saudi Arabia to mend ties over Yemen

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will lead a high-level delegation, including the army chief, to Saudi Arabia tomorrow in a bid to cool tempers in the kingdom over Islamabad's refusal to provide troops for the war in Yemen.

Premier Sharif chaired a high-level meeting of military and civil officials to discuss the situation in Yemen where a Saudi-led coalition launched air strikes against Shia Houthi rebels last month.

"It was decided in the meeting that Prime Minister would undertake a one-day visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) tomorrow to discuss the evolving situation in Yemen and express solidarity with the people and leadership of KSA," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

He would be accompanied by Minister for Defence, Khawaja Asif, army chief Gen Raheel Sharif, advisor to the prime minister Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry.

It is believed that the delegation will try to convince Saudi rulers that Pakistan's decision to stay away from the Yemen conflict will help it to influence Iran for a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Pakistan is already happy with the cessation of air strikes by Saudi Arabia and Sharif also welcomed it. He said the Yemen conflict was "entering a phase of political dialogue".

The premier's visit comes about a week after his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif led a delegation to Riyadh but apparently failed to mend ties.

The oil-rich kingdom after launching air strikes in Yemen last month asked close ally Pakistan to rush its armed forces to help restore the ousted government.

But Pakistan refused after its parliament decided to stay neutral in the conflict, angering the Saudis.

Sharif is expected to meet Saudi King Salman who according to sources had refused to see the younger Sharif a week ago.

The visit coincides with halting of the air strikes paving the way for talks to end the crisis.

It is the premier's second visit to the kingdom in less than two months. He last travelled to Saudi Arabia on March 3.