Pakistan would be there for Saudi Arabia ‘before it is needed’ : PM’s spokesperson

ISLAMABAD:  Prime Minister’s Spokesperson for Foreign Media Mosharraf Zaidi on Tuesday said that Pakistan would be there for Saudi Arabia “before it is needed”, adding “no matter what, no matter when”.

In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Zaidi was asked about whether Pakistan would come to Saudi Arabia’s aid “militarily or otherwise” amid war triggered in the Middle East following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

“The question is not whether Pakistan might come to Saudi Arabia’s aid. Both countries, even before the strategic mutual defence agreement, have operated on a principle of being there for the other before they need the other. So, there is no question that we might; we will. No matter what, no matter when,” he said.

He maintained that the “real question” was what Pakistan was doing to make sure that things did not escalate to a point where “any of its closest partners are further embroiled in a conflict that potentially undermines stability and prosperity, not just for the region at large but especially for the Pakistani people”.

He recalled Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia. He stated that Pakistan remained in touch with both the Saudi and Iranian leadership.

“Our prime minister and field marshal have a great relationship with US leadership,” he added.

“In the past six to seven days, there has been a whole series of conversations and one of the things I think Pakistan admires is the way in which Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have resisted being drawn in,” he said.

On that note, he further said that there had been “all kinds of appeals from some people in the US or other places” pushing for GCC countries to get “actively involved”; however, he said the countries have resisted so far.

“That is part of what Pakistan wants to see,” he stressed.

Asked how close Pakistan was to “providing military aid to Saudi Arabia”, Zaidi said that it would be “speculative and irresponsible” to comment on that.

“As I said to you right at the top, there is no question of if and when. Whatever is needed from Pakistan vis-à-vis Saudi Arabia, Pakistan will be there before it is needed [and] similarly for Saudi Arabia,” he said.

He said that Saudi Arabia “has already made arrangements to support Pakistan’s supply chain stability and in terms of oil, diesel and crude”.

“I think both countries are tied to each other, formally and informally, and there’s no question of whether there would be any kind of if,” he said.

During the interview, Zaidi was also asked about Pakistan’s engagements with Iran. In his response, he said that Pakistan was “very conscious of its responsibility as a close ally and friend” to the countries involved.

He said that there had been several conversations between Dar and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi over the past two weeks.

“These conversations and others are the reasons why you have seen conciliatory efforts that Iran has made towards Gulf countries,” the spokesperson said.

He said Pakistan remained in contact with all the countries in the region. “We don’t like our friends getting into quarrels with each other, and we certainly don’t like innocent people dying needlessly,” Zaidi said. He said that there was always a “pathway” to any conflict that was “achievable through dialogue”. Staff Report