ISLAMABAD: Pakistan "strongly" condemned the recent missile and drone strikes by Houthis on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, "which is a violation of the Kingdom's sovereignty and territorial integrity".

"We commend how Saudi Arabia's successful defensive actions prevented loss of many innocent civilian lives. Pakistan expresses full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and supports the Kingdom's right to defend itself against aggression," Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri.

He said that Pakistan had consistently urged all parties to the conflict in Yemen to engage in a meaningful and peaceful dialogue to end the hostilities, in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2216.

"We appreciate the positive step taken by the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, when it unilaterally declared ceasefire earlier this year. It is, however, regrettable that this step was not reciprocated positively," he added.

He further stated: "Pakistan expresses deep concern at the recent escalation of conflict in Yemen, as the city of Marib is threatened by the Houthi militias". "We believe that if military conflict engulfs Marib, it will result in a serious humanitarian catastrophe. This will further compound the existing precarious humanitarian situation in the country that has already seen countless deaths and injuries, and millions displaced," he added.

He added: "We urge all parties to the conflict in Yemen, in particular the Houthis, to cease military actions, engage in a serious dialogue to end the conflict on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and respond positively to the proposals made by Martin Griffith, the United Nation's Special Envoy to Yemen".

The spokesperson stated that Pakistan believed that war served no purpose, and all issues could be resolved through peaceful dialogue. Adopting this path early will save thousands of innocent lives, as well as the future of the Yemeni people, he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020