KARACHI: Former interior minister and PPP Senator Rehman Malik urged the government on Sunday to take all political forces and parliament into confidence before taking a decision on the issue of Saudi-Yemen conflict.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, he said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should play the role of a mediator as was done by then president Asif Ali Zardari in reducing tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Read| Threat to S Arabia will evoke strong reaction from Pakistan: Nawaz

“We have deep brotherly relations with Saudi Arabia which has sided with Pakistan in every hour of its trial and today when the kingdom is in trouble our people are with the Saudis,” he said.

Rehman Malik said PPP would support every step taken for upholding democracy in Yemen. He regretted that the government had so far not taken political forces and parliament on board about its policy vis-à-vis Saudi Arabia or any other friendly country.

Answering a question, he said the self-styled Islamic State militant group is now a reality and it had its presence in Pakistan. The group could be defeated only through unity within the Ummah, he added.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2015

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