The official sources of Pakistan have not confirmed or rejected the news so far.
Daily ‘Express Tribune’ says Iran has already expressed its reservations over Islamabad’s decision to give the green light to former army chief General Raheel Sharif to lead the military coalition.
It says Pakistan has traditionally maintained a delicate balance in its relationship with Iran and Saudi Arabia, which have serious differences on Syria and Yemen. Iran believes that the Saudi-led coalition is not meant for fighting terrorism.
According to Express Tribune, just days before the government issued the green light to Gen Raheel Sharif to join the military coalition as its commander, Iranian ambassador Mehdi Honardoost met Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the general gave Honardoost categorical assurance that Islamabad’s decision would not hurt Tehran’s interests.
Sources with the knowledge of the meeting told ‘Express Tribune’ that Gen Qamar Bajwa assured the Iranian envoy that his country should not be concerned over Pakistan’s decision to join the Saudi alliance.
The army chief also informed Honardoost that Pakistan ‘values its bilateral ties with Iran’ and joining the alliance would not damage the relationship.
General Bajwa reiterated that Pakistan Army greatly values historical relationship between the two brotherly countries which 'can never be compromised at any cost'.
Pakistan has already agreed in principle to join the Saudi-led alliance, but the extent of its cooperation is still not known.
Officials have said Pakistan has clearly told Saudi Arabia that its participation would be strictly for the purpose of fighting terrorism and that it would not become part of any campaign against any other country, including Iran.
Opposition parties including the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf are also skeptical of Gen Raheel’s role in the Saudi alliance.
Both the parties consider the decision as violation of Pakistan parliament’s resolution passed in April 2015 that called for maintaining the policy of ‘neutrality’, particularly in the ongoing conflict of Yemen.
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Islamabad, April 4, IRNA – A leading Pakistani newspaper reports that army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa might visit Iran in the coming days to address reservations of Iran over the controversial military alliance.
