ISLAMABAD, APR 21, (DNA) –  Soon after receiving the No-Objection Certificate (NOC), former chief of army staff general (retd) Raheel Sharif has left for Saudi Arabia to assume command of the Islamic military alliance, dubbed the ‘Muslim Nato’.

According to sources, the government issued NOC to Raheel Sharif after General Headquarter’s (GHQ) approval while a special aircraft was sent by the Saudi government to receive him.

Earlier this month, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua made it clear that the Saudi-led 41-nation Islamic military alliance is against terrorism and not against any country.

She assured that Pakistan is committed to its policy of non-interference in the conflicts of Muslim countries.

The formation of an alliance of Muslim-majority countries – which now numbers 40 – was announced by the Saudi defence minister, deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in December 2015.

The coalition would be based in Riyadh to “coordinate and support military operations” against terrorism. The states it listed as joining the new coalition included Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Malaysia, Pakistan and several African nations.