Wednesday, September 30, 2026 - Pakistan has issued its strongest warning yet that it is prepared to defend Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks, with Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif saying Islamabad will make “whatever means are available” to the kingdom under its new mutual defence arrangement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
The statement came as regional tensions continue to rise and Saudi Arabia faces renewed missile and drone attacks attributed to the Houthis.
The declaration follows a recent meeting in Riyadh involving the military chiefs of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, where the three sides discussed intelligence sharing, military coordination and closer defence cooperation.
The countries' Makkah Joint Defence Agreement states that an armed attack on one signatory will be treated as an attack on all three, although its full operational framework is still being developed.
The immediate question is how far Pakistan's commitment could go if attacks continue or intensify. Asif did not confirm that Pakistani forces have participated in strikes against targets in Yemen, nor did he say whether Riyadh has formally requested such assistance.
With the security situation already affecting regional infrastructure and critical trade routes, Islamabad's latest declaration puts the new defence partnership under its first major test.
0 Comments