Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye activate defence pact amid Houthi threat

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye have agreed to put their trilateral defence agreement into effect and take steps to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities for rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia, amid regional tensions and against the backdrop of Houthi attacks.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee of the Makkah Alliance for Defence in Riyadh on Monday. The trilateral defence agreement, signed in August, creates a framework for collective deterrence and says that an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be treated as an attack on all.

According to a joint statement, the committee reviewed the outcome of political and military consultations held before the meeting and approved the recommendations placed before it. It said the Makkah agreement reflected a firm commitment to collective defence and a united approach to confronting threats. The committee also "decided to move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defence commitments and to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in the Kingdom".

"The three countries affirmed that the security of each party is an integral part of the collective security of the three countries," the statement said. It did not give details or a timeline for any troop deployment. It also did not specifically name the Houthis as a threat, though the development comes amid Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan was represented at the meeting by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. In an interview with Geo News, Asif said Pakistan and Turkiye had a "presence in theatre", but only Saudi troops were involved in combat operations. "Whatever assistance they require is being provided. But right now, the Turkish and Pakistani armies are playing a supportive role," he said, adding that Pakistan was involved in reconnaissance.

The three countries also condemned in the strongest terms the attempted targeting of Makkah and Madinah, and the continuing attacks on cities and civilian and economic facilities in the Kingdom. The statement said Pakistan and Turkiye praised the vigilance and readiness of the Saudi armed forces in dealing with the threats and attacks facing the country.

As part of the alliance's institutional development, the committee appointed Pakistan's General Nauman Mahmood (Retd.) as the first secretary-general for a three-year term. The SPDC is a key body under the Makkah pact and includes the foreign ministers, defence ministers and army chiefs of the three member countries.

The meeting came as Yemen's Saudi-led coalition government launched a major military campaign on Sunday to recapture territory held by the Houthis. Last month, the defence chiefs and chiefs of general staff of the three countries met in Riyadh to review the security situation and threats facing Saudi Arabia, while their foreign ministers also met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York to discuss the challenges confronting the Kingdom.

In sum, the Riyadh meeting marked a move from consultations to implementation under the August defence pact, with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye reaffirming their collective security commitment while stopping short of giving a public timeline for deployment.

With PTI Inputs

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