Summary The meeting will decide whether to join Yemen operation or not.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk / Reuters) – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is chairing a top level consultative meeting in Islamabad to discuss prevailing Middle East crisis and review options whether to join Saudi-led operation against Houthi rebels in Yemen or not.
The defence team, which just concluded visit to Saudi Arabia, will brief the meeting about its talks with the Saudi officials on the crisis.
The meeting is also being attended by the three services chiefs and officials of Foreign Office.
There are already about 750-800 Pakistani servicemen in Saudi Arabia but none are combat troops. On Monday, a Pakistani military spokesman said 292 Pakistani soldiers were meeting Saudi troops for annual, pre-scheduled military exercises.
Saudi and United Arab Emirates planes are leading the air attacks and alliance spokesmen have not confirmed whether any other Gulf Arab states are taking part in the strikes, although Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain are members of the alliance.
Residents said ships believed to be Egyptian shelled a column of Houthi fighters trying to advance on Aden.
The United States is providing intelligence support, and a Gulf diplomatic official said France was giving similar help.
