THIS refers to the news, “Minister refuses to reveal troop location”, (20 Feb). The minister of defence stated to the Senate that 1,600 Pakistani troops are already posted in Saudi Arabia. And 1,000 more troops will be sent there to train Saudi troops and participate in the joint exercises of counter-insurgency and mountain warfare under a 1982 protocol. As far as the training of the soldiers is concerned, it is done by a few instructors and not troops in a bulk. The exercise of mountain warfare is a clear indication of the Saudis to fight against the Hothis tribesmen in the mountainous areas of Yemen itself.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are fighting a proxy war in Yemen and Lebanon. By sending extra troops to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan has joined the fray at its own expense.

By violating the supremacy of parliament which represents the people’s will, the defence minister has challenged the people’s mandate. After all, our armed forces are paid by the taxpayers, and they have a right to know the exact nature of the mission of our troops. Pakistan’s security and prestige should not be bartered away for Saudi riyals. The 1982 agreement with Saudi Arabia should be revisited.

The dictates of geography make Iran more important to us than Saudi Arabia. In view of the Indo-Iranian ‘entente cordiale’, the Saudi-Pakistan military alliance may prove dangerous. Therefore, Iranian annoyance should be avoided in the long-term interest of Pakistan.

Dr Mehtab Ali Shah

Jamshoro

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2018