Pakistan’s National Security Advisor, Nasser Khan Janjua, told press on Monday on the sideline after a conference held on Maritime Security in Islamabad, that General (Retd) Raheel Sharif could help provide unity of Muslim Ummah.
The comment was in response to reporter’s questions about comments made by Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for defense, in an interview that Government of Pakistan had granted permission to General Sharif to lead the 39-nations Islamic Military alliance.
Janjua maintained that General Sharif will use his experience – especially in counter-terrorism– and knowledge that could remove misunderstandings between Muslim countries. He went on to say that the former army chief’s appointment will even benefit “anti-alliance countries, including Iran”. BBC Urdu has quoted him as saying, Raheel Sharif would help bring Iran and Saudi Arabia closer.
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Saudi Arabia, in December 2015, announced the formation of ‘Islamic Military Alliance’ primarily to halt the expansion of ISIS and to counter terrorism in the Muslim countries. This alliance is often termed as the ‘Muslm Nato’ and its command was offered to former Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen. Sharif after his retirement in November last year.