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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Isnaf (PTI) has submitted a petition to discuss Pakistan’s participation in the Saudi-led Islamic military alliance in parliament, reported Waqt News.

پارلیمان کی مشاورت کے بغیر اس قسم کا فیصلے پر شدید تحفظات ہیں: تحریک انصاف — PTI (@PTIofficial) April 12, 2017

The issue was not discussed in the Parliament as neither house was taken into confidence on this critical issue, argues PTI.

The major opposition party further stated that this is a serious national matter and the ruling party did not follow due process before taking the decision.

PTI has also asked to call joint parliament meeting on this issue.

Pakistan on Thursday said it was part of the Saudi Arabia-led military alliance to counter terrorism.

Earlier, addressing a weekly media briefing on March 17, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that the basic purpose of the force was to counter terrorism. “Terms of reference of counter-terrorism operations were finalised. We are already part of it (the alliance),” he said.

On former army chief Raheel Sharif’s appointment as the commander of the Saudi-led military alliance, the spokesperson said: “I have seen the statement made by the Minister of Defence (Khawaja Mohammed Asif). I don’t think after what has been said by him and the things which have been discussed in the Parliament, I have anything to add.” Asked, if the Saudis had contacted Pakistan diplomatically on Raheel Sharif’s job, he replied: “I am not aware.”

Earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had said that the decision to appoint Raheel Sharif as head of the 39-nation coalition was an administrative decision, not linked to Yemen crisis.

He maintained the alliance was purely against terrorism saying the government will defend it in the parliament if the opposition raised the issue.