7/23/2019 Pakistan Saud http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/pakistan-saud 1/18 Pakistan confirms participation in Saudi-led anti-terror alliance By Baqir Sajjad Syed | 12/17/2015 120000 !" #S$!"!B!% !fter initial am&i'uity( t)e Pakistan 'o*ernment confirmed on +ednesday its participation in a Saudi-led military alliance for ,fi')tin' terrorism,( &ut said t)e scope of its participation ould &e defined after .iyad) s)ared t)e details of t)e coalition it as assem&lin' ,Pakistan is aaitin' furt)er detailstodecidet)e etentofits participation in different acti*ities of t)e alliance(, a statement issued &yt)e orei'n ffice said Saudi !ra&ia )ad announced on 3uesday t)at it )ad for'ed t)e 4-nation alliance of "uslim countries for fi')tin' terrorism and etremism( )ic) included Pakistan Saudi orei'n "inister!del al 6u&eir )ad later eplained t)at t)e participatin' countries ould t)emsel*es decide a&out t)e etent of t)eir participation3)e coalition as en*isa'ed to ser*e as a platform for security cooperation( includin' pro*ision of trainin'( equipment and troops( and in*ol*ement of reli'ious sc)olars for dealin' it) etremism Senior officials at t)e forei'n ministry initially epressed surprise at Pakistan &ein' included in t)e ne 'roup( and said t)at .iyad) )ad not talen #slama&ad on &oard But su&sequent de*elopments re*ealed t)at Saudi !ra&ia )ad &een 'i*en a secret commitment re'ardin' joinin' t)e alliance( a&out )ic) t)e orei'n ffice as not aare 3)ere ere speculations a&out )o )ad 'i*en t)at assurance 3)e military )ad started in cto&er a ne p)ase in t)e &ilateral defence relations)ip &y trainin' Saudi special forces personnel in counterin' terrorism 8)ief of !rmy Staff 9en .a)eel S)arif *isited Saudi !ra&ia after t)e special eercises for discussions on counter-terrorism efforts 3)e orei'n ffice statement tried to &rus) off t)e em&arrassment caused to .iyad) &ecause of t)e reports t)at it )ad included Pakistan in t)e coalition it)out its prior knoled'e &y sayin' t)at it elcomed t)e formation of t)e counter-terrorism alliance #t impliedly conceded t)at some information )ad &een s)ared it) it &efore t)e announcement from .iyad)( as t)e statement noted t)at it as aaitin' ,furt)er, details 3)e orei'n ffice said it consistently supported all efforts at fi')tin' terrorism and a resolution adopted at t)e 2nd session of t)e 8ouncil of orei'n "inisters of t)e r'anisation of #slamic 8ooperation )ad called on mem&ers to ,join re'ional and international efforts to fi')t terrorism and etremist t)ou')t, !nar #q&al adds from +as)in'ton 3)e :nited States said on +ednesday t)at t)e ne coalition supplemented its efforts to defeat terrorism and it )ad lon' &een ur'in' its "uslim allies to form suc) an alliance,#t certainly is in line it) )at e )a*e lon' &een sayin' and ur'in' countries in t)e re'ion to do( )ic) is to coalesce around t)e need to deal it) t)e terrorist t)reat t)ere in t)e re'ion(, :S State %epartment spokesman 6o)n ;ir&y said at a nes &riefin'