Pakistan vows to remain neutral in Gulf diplomatic row

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan on Wednesday said it would remain neutral in the ongoing diplomatic row in the Gulf region.

“We have brotherly relations with both countries [Saudi Arabia and Qatar]… so it’s impossible for us to take sides," said Sartaj Aziz, foreign policy adviser to the prime minister.

He was briefing the Senate Committee for Foreign Affairs about Pakistan’s policy on the Gulf crisis.

On June 5, five Arab countries -- Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Yemen -- abruptly cut diplomatic relations with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism.

Qatar, for its part, denied the accusations, calling the moves for diplomatically isolating it "unjustified”.

"Pakistan is playing a mediation role and the prime minister’s adviser told us that they are in contact with the Muslim countries engaged in resolving the crisis," Senator Shibli Faraz, who was present at the briefing, told Anadolu Agency.

The committee has suggested that Pakistan play an active role to resolve the crisis as all Muslims are worried about the current situation, Faraz said.