Saudi-Iran spat: in-camera briefing termed 'unsatisfactory'

The combined opposition in Senate on Wednesday staged a walkout from the upper house, terming the briefing on Saudi-Iran conflict by Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz 'unsatisfactory'. Soon after the briefing, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, leader of opposition in Senate, took the floor and said: "I just want to ask what was new in the briefing given by the adviser to prime minister foreign affairs. It was unsatisfactory and in protest we walk out".
The sources privy to the briefing said that some 28 members belonging to opposition put tough questions to Aziz, but he repeated what National Assembly Standing Committee Chairman Owais Leghari had shared with media after an in-camera briefing on the issue on Tuesday. Aziz told an in-camera briefing that Pakistan has a neutral policy towards both Saudi Arabia and Iran. He also stated that in case of any territorial threat to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan will give a befitting response. However, to a question, the adviser made it clear that the government is making all-out efforts towards finding a solution to the conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia, adding Pakistan's policy is neutral as it wants an amicable resolution to the crisis.
Not impressed with an in-camera briefing by the adviser, the opposition said it was nothing but 'wastage of time', adding the intention of the government is quite clear: it is not ready to take the house as well as the nation on board on the issue. The adviser was quoted as saying that as a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Pakistan will continue to play its positive role on this issue, adding it will play the role of a bridge to improve relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. This "unsatisfactory" briefing by Aziz prompted the chairman Senate Raza Rabbani to remark that 'if you [Aziz] had nothing new to say except what we've heard in the press, what was the need of giving an in-camera briefing?"
The sources also quoted Aitzaz making objection during the briefing that there was nothing new and the media should be allowed, but it was chairman Senate who interrupted that since the adviser has agreed for only an in-camera briefing the press could not be allowed. However, he told the adviser that he can share the details of the briefing with the media as there was nothing substantial worth an in-camera briefing. But the adviser left without interacting with the media after the briefing. A joint statement by opposition and treasury members was supposed to be issued after the briefing but it could not be released as the opposition members declared the briefing just a 'rhetoric' and 'unsatisfactory'.