Pakistan has expressed its full support for the efforts being undertaken by Saudi Arabia for ensuring peace and stability in Yemen, it emerged on Saturday.

In a statement released late on Friday, the Foreign Office (FO) said Pakistan was closely following recent developments in Yemen.

“Pakistan expresses its full support for the diplomatic efforts being undertaken by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia for ensuring peace and stability in the Republic of Yemen. We also commend the efforts of the United Arab Emirates in this regard,” it said.

“We underscore the need for upholding the unity and territorial integrity of Yemen, and express the hope that the Yemeni stakeholders will avoid any unilateral steps that may result in further escalation of the situation,” it said.

“We also call on all Yemeni parties to engage constructively and in good faith towards an inclusive, negotiated political solution based on the agreed parameters,” the FO said.

“Pakistan expresses its hope that the ongoing diplomatic efforts will result in concrete steps towards achieving lasting peace in the country, and in bringing an end to the suffering of the Yemeni people,” it added.

Yemen’s main southern separatist group, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), has pushed the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government from its headquarters in Aden while claiming broad control across the south earlier this month.

On Friday, the UAE’s foreign ministry said it welcomed Saudi Arabian efforts to support security and stability in Yemen and remained committed to backing stability in the country.

Saudi Arabia said on Thursday that Yemeni separatists should return the territory seized recently, adding that it sought to de-escalate tensions within the government camp.

Additional input from AFP and Reuters.