Pakistan backs Makkah defence pact after foiled Houthi drone near holy city

Islamabad,UPDATED: Sep 17, 2026 16:36 IST

Pakistan on Thursday said it was committed to implementing the Makkah defence agreement amid rising tensions in the Gulf after Saudi Arabia said it had foiled an attempted drone attack by Yemen's Houthis targeting the holy city. Islamabad said it would fulfil its obligations under the pact while also stressing the need for discretion on any operational details.

The trilateral defence agreement between Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia was signed last month. It provides a framework for collective deterrence and says an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be treated as an attack on all. Pakistan's latest remarks came after Saudi authorities said their air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Makkah before it entered the city's prohibited airspace. The Houthis denied targeting Makkah or any Islamic holy site.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Geo News on Wednesday that Pakistan was fully prepared to meet its commitments under the deal. "The Makkah Agreement applies to us, and we will fulfil our duty," he said. He also said, "If Makkah is attacked, there is no need for an agreement to protect it," adding that Pakistan did not need a pact to defend the holy sites because safeguarding them was a duty in any case.

At his weekly briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan repeated Pakistan's intention to uphold the agreement. Asked whether any mechanism had been worked out to ensure recent Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia were thwarted, Khan said Pakistan was committed to "implementing" the deal. "However, when, how, where and what force will be used against what objectives, in which modes and matters - operational confidentiality requires us to be discreet at this stage," he said.

Khan said Pakistan had long supported peace and stability in the region because "this is not only in the interest of Pakistan and Iran, but also the entire region and beyond". He described the Bab el-Mandeb situation as "exceptionally serious" and called on the Houthis to stop their activities. "In this regard, our discussions basically revolve around bringing peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy and not through coercive measures," he said.

Asif said on Wednesday that the Makkah pact provided for mutual defence if the territorial integrity or geographical boundaries of any of the three countries were violated. He said there was "absolutely no ambiguity" about its application, while adding that Pakistan would not publicly discuss the details of its defence or military strategy. He also said Pakistan had conveyed Saudi Arabia's message to Iran amid concerns over Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

On Iran, Asif said, "I don't think Iran as a state will open another front," adding that Tehran was already involved in a conflict in the region. He drew a distinction between the Iranian state and informal arrangements involving non-state groups, saying such groups could act without waiting for formal approval or support from a state. He said Iran taking sides in the conflict involving the Houthis and Saudi Arabia would not be a prudent course, given Tehran's ties with other countries, and added that Pakistan would continue efforts to stop the conflict from spreading into other theatres.

Asif also said the trilateral defence agreement was one arrangement to emerge as countries assessed their security needs, and that other such arrangements could also emerge in the region, though he said that was his analysis and not based on any specific development. He said countries in the region could work more closely to counter non-state armed groups if they increasingly had to make their own security arrangements. He added that disruption to maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, was affecting trade and economies across the region, with particular importance for Pakistan because of the impact on its economy.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday also reiterated Pakistan's full support for Saudi Arabia's defence and said Islamabad stood "shoulder to shoulder" with Riyadh. He condemned what he called a "dastardly and heinous attempted drone attack" on the holy city and urged all sides to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further escalation. Overall, Pakistan's response combined a clear commitment to the Makkah agreement with a renewed call for regional stability through restraint, dialogue and diplomacy.

With PTI Inputs

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