ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said Pakistan would be bound to respond if aggression against Saudi Arabia triggered the collective-defence provisions of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, following this week’s Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory.
The agreement, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on August 7, establishes that an armed attack against one member will be regarded as an attack against all three. Asif’s remarks came after Houthi strikes hit civilian and energy facilities in southern Saudi Arabia and injured more than 70 people.
Pakistan has condemned the attacks and reaffirmed its support for Saudi sovereignty and security. Asif also said indirect contacts between the United States and Iran were continuing despite the current diplomatic stalemate as fighting across the region intensifies.
The defence pact provides for joint military and political coordination, exercises, and broader cooperation among the three countries, although Pakistani and Turkish officials have repeatedly described it as defensive rather than aimed at any particular state.