ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held talks with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on Saturday to discuss regional tensions, the Pakistani foreign office said. He urged restraint and dialogue to resolve issues peacefully.
The conversation comes amid rising tensions over Yemen. It is the second call between the two ministers this week following a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on December 30. The strike targeted two shipments of smuggled weapons and military equipment sent from the Emirati port of Fujairah to Mukalla in southern Yemen.
A coalition spokesperson said the weapons were intended to support the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces in Hadramaut and Al-Mahra “to fuel the conflict.” The UAE has announced the withdrawal of its remaining troops from Yemen, rejecting any actions that could threaten Saudi Arabia or regional stability.
According to the Pakistani foreign office, Dar stressed that all parties must avoid escalatory measures. He called on stakeholders to resolve differences through dialogue and diplomacy to safeguard regional peace.
Separately, Saudi Arabia invited factions in southern Yemen to hold talks in Riyadh. The conference, requested by Rashad Al-Alimi, President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, aims to “discuss just solutions to the southern cause.” Saudi authorities urged all factions to participate to develop a comprehensive vision for the region’s future.
The STC separatist group launched a sweeping military campaign in early December, disregarding previous agreements with the Arab coalition. It seized Hadramaut along the Saudi border and Al-Mahra near Oman. The group also took control of the PetroMasila oilfields, which hold a major portion of Yemen’s remaining oil reserves.
The advance has revived fears of a return to an independent South Yemen, which existed from 1967 to 1990. It has also stalled slow-moving peace talks with Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Saudi Arabia warned that the STC offensive threatens its national security and regional stability. Riyadh has reiterated that the southern cause can only be resolved through dialogue.
On Thursday, Pakistan expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia. The foreign office reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to the Kingdom’s security amid the Yemen crisis. “Pakistan expresses complete solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and reaffirms its commitment to its security,” said spokesperson Tahir Andrabi. “We support resolving the Yemen issue through dialogue and diplomacy and hope all regional powers cooperate toward an inclusive and lasting settlement.”
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Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a landmark defense pact in September last year. Under the agreement, aggression against one country will be treated as an attack against both. The pact formalized long-standing military ties into a binding security commitment.
