Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Wednesday said that no new brigade of armed forces of Pakistan has been sent to Saudi Arabia. Speaking in National Assembly, he categorically said, "Pakistan is not and will never be involved in any conflict between the two countries (Saudi Arabia and Yemen). Pakistan wants to play a role of a mediator between the two Muslim countries to resolve the issue."
He said that all reports about sending military brigade are fake and baseless, adding more than one thousand army troops are already deployed in Saudi Arabia.
"These troops have been sent to Saudi Arabia under a 1982 agreement. Doctors, paramedical staff and technicians are included in those military troops," he clarified.Earlier, Shafqat Mahmood of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) raised the issue and said that there are reports on social media that Pakistan has sent a brigade of armed force to Saudi Arabia. He demanded the defence minister inform the House about the reports.
Criticising the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) government, Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah said that it is not giving due importance to Parliament. "The government wants to weaken the federation by creating divisions among the provinces," he claimed.
Responding to the criticism of the opposition leader, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad said that maximum development works in the country were carried out during the PML-N tenures. He said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a great achievement of the incumbent government, which brought the world closer to Pakistan. He said that the Prime Minister is taking all the four provinces along for development and prosperity of the country. During the minister's speech, the opposition members kept shouting ' 'liar, liar' slogans. Nawab Yousaf Talpour of PPP pointed out the quorum, forcing Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javeed Abbasi to adjourn it till today at 10:30 am.