ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will travel to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for continuing deliberations on the Yemen conflict.

The prime minister’s close aides have confirmed his day-long visit, even though the government has been holding back an official announcement.

The visit coincides with developments in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition claimed success in thwarting the threat from Houthi militia and announced the conclusion of the Operation Decisive Storm and start of the next phase that has been codenamed Operation Hope.

Read: Saudi-led coalition ends military operation in Yemen

This will be Mr Sharif’s second visit to the kingdom in two months. He last travelled to Saudi Arabia on March 3 when he committed defence cooperation with the kingdom.

The defence cooperation was taken by the Saudi leadership as a commitment to joining the 10-nation alliance it later formed to fight the Yemeni Houthis.

Also read: Steps taken to enforce Yemen embargo: FO

But the posture later adopted by Pakistan on sending troops annoyed Arab leaders.

Mr Sharif last week sent his brother (Punjab Chief Minister) Shahbaz Sharif as a special envoy to pacify the royal family.

PRESIDENT’S TURKEY VISIT: President Mamnoon Hussain will leave for Turkey on Wednesday on a four-day official visit.

According to a spokesperson for the president, Mr Hussain has been invited by his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to attend the centenary commemoration of the Canakkale Battle in Turkey.

The president will also discuss with Mr Erdogan bilateral relations, matters of mutual interest and the regional situation.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2015

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