Make-up Blog: Current Affairs

While many of us were busy with the cricket world cup a new crisis was developing in the Middle East. The rise of a rebellion in Yemen. Though this rebellion led by Houthi rebels first started in June 2004, it has recently made its debut in the Pakistani spheres. Fortunately, only on media and diplomatic levels. The Yemeni government has been dealing with this rebellion since its beginning however only recently has the rebellion spilled over the Yemeni borders and into Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is a dear ally of many in the west and a few in the Middle East. Upon their call to assemble a task force with the mission to contain this rebellion many nations gave positive replies and support. Up till now around 150,000 troops have been assembled, with Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Pakistan ready to commit, for a ground offensive on Yemeni soil against the rebellion.

It is believed that the rebellion has been financed and organized by Iran. We all understand the religious differences between the Wahhabi Saudis and the majority Shia Iranians and from the perspective of Yemen and Saudi Arabia, it is these differences which have made Iran support the Houthi rebellion. Pakistan though far from the conflict, geographically, is not far from it, morally. Ever since Saudi Arabia has gotten involved herself directly against the rebellion and its call to her allies in the offensive, Pakistan faces a moral dilemma. Either to ignore the call altogether or send troops to the already troubled Middle East. For Pakistan, the response to this problem is going to have long lasting and intense effects. The army is already involved on multiple fronts in the domestic sphere and it simply does not have the resources to carry out such a massive support program. However if it does not respond positively it could strain its ties with the Saudi government.

On the other hand, Iran and Pakistan do not share a necessarily friendly relationship. Iran’s involvement in Baluchi unrest has been highlighted multiple times though always denied by Tehran. Pakistan can use this opportunity to send a clear cut message to the Irani government that its ulterior motives have been identified and will be responded to at all levels. At the same time strengthening its bond with the Saudis. Therefore, in my opinion, Pakistan should give a positive response to the Saudi call however only to a limited and calculated level. And by that I mean, that the military support should be in terms of strategy making and to some extent special operative teams, because anything more than this could spell a disaster for the Pakistani army itself.  

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/26/saudi-arabia-begins-airstrikes-against-houthi-in-yemen

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/26/us-yemen-security-idUSKBN0ML0YC20150326