Advertisement

Pakistan says it will respond to any threat to Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's office said on Thursday any threat to Saudi Arabia would "evoke a strong response" from Islamabad. Sharif chaired a "high-level meeting" in which he said Pakistan enjoyed close and brotherly relations with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Saudi Arabia and Gulf allies launched military operations including air strikes in Yemen on Thursday, Saudi officials said, to counter Iran-allied forces besieging the southern city of Aden, where the U.S.-supported Yemeni president had taken refuge. "The meeting concluded that any threat to Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity would evoke a strong response from Pakistan," Sharif's office said. Pakistan would send a delegation, including military officials, to Saudi Arabia on Friday, the statement said. Pakistan was considering a request from Saudi Arabia for troops to send to Yemen, the foreign office said on Thursday. (Reporting by Amjad Ali; Writing by Nick Macfie; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)