Pakistan says it's part of Saudi-led anti-terror coalition

Image
AP Islamabad
Last Updated : Dec 17 2015 | 11:22 PM IST
Pakistan has confirmed it's part of a Saudi-led "Islamic military alliance" against terrorism in the Muslim world but remained vague about when exactly it joined the new alliance.
Foreign Office spokesman Qazi Khalilullah told reporters today in Islamabad that, "yes, we're part of it." He also denied media reports from yesterday that claimed Pakistan was "surprised" when its membership in the 34-nation group was announced on Tuesday.
He insisted Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry had earlier only said that Pakistan was "ascertaining details" about the announcement.
Khalilullah went on to say that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have been exchanging ideas on how to deal with terrorism.
The new coalition does not include Shiite-led countries of Iran, Iraq and Syria, raising questions whether it can be a unified front against extremists.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Dec 17 2015 | 11:22 PM IST

Next Story