TAXILA: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Mohammad Yousuf said on Tuesday that Pakistan would never compromise on defence of territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia because protection of its holy places was a religious obligation for Muslims.

Talking to reporters after attending a ceremony held to mark the conclusion of three-day Sikh religious festival Besakhi at Gurdwara Punja Sahib in Hassanabdal, he reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to defend the holy land and said: “Pakistan will always stand by Saudi Arabia in its hour of need.”

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash was mistaken in his interpretation of Pakistan’s stand on Yemen crisis, he said and added that the statement issued by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday had clarified Islamabad’s stance on the issue. “There should be no confusion now.”

In reply to a question, Mr Yousuf said that the prime minister’s statement was not prompted by the recent visit of Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Saleh bin Abdul Aziz to Pakistan as thought by some. Every country was independent in its internal matters, he said and added that Saudi Arabia respected Pakistani parliament’s resolution on Yemen crisis.

He claimed that Saudi Arabia was satisfied with the response of the government and people of Pakistan, who had vowed to support it in its hour of trial.

Answering another question, he rejected the perception that the Saudi minister had met some religious leader in a bid to seek manpower support.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2015

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