Pakistan leaders in Saudi Arabia to press Yemen negotiations

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s top leaders are in Saudi Arabia to push for negotiations in the Yemen conflict.

In Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesman Tasnim Aslam says Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif will meet King Salman on Thursday to discuss the crisis.

Pakistan welcomed the kingdom’s decision to halt the Saudi-led coalition airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Shiite rebels.

But hours after Saudi Arabia declared an end to its nearly monthlong air campaign in Yemen, new airstrikes hit the Iran-backed rebels and their allies on Wednesday — suggesting the U.S.-backed offensive will be scaled back but not halted completely.

Both predominantly Sunni majority countries, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are close allies.

Pakistan supported the Saudi-led coalition airstrikes but declined to send troops, warplanes and warships to join the coalition.