ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that any houthi attack on Saudi Arabia would be considered an attack on Pakistan, reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to the Kingdom’s security.
Speaking in an interview with WE News reporter Luqman Shah, Khawaja Asif said Pakistan would regard any aggression against Saudi Arabia as an attack against the country.
The statement comes after attacks by the Houthi militia reportedly targeted Saudi cities, including Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, injuring 73 civilians, including women and children, according to Coalition Forces spokesman Major General Turki Al-Malki.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye had earlier signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7 to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression. Under the agreement, an armed attack against any of the three countries would be considered an attack against all.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the agreement.
On August 31, the agreement was renamed the Makkah Defence Alliance during its inaugural Strategic Political and Defence Committee meeting in Istanbul. Its secretariat will be based in Riyadh, while Pakistan will provide the alliance’s first Secretary General for a three-year term.
Pakistan Condemns Houthi Attack on Saudi Arabia
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned Houthi attacks targeting civilian and energy facilities in Saudi Arabia.
In a statement posted on X, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and expressed solidarity with the Saudi leadership and people.
He said attacks against civilian and economic infrastructure threatened innocent lives and undermined regional peace and security. Sharif also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia maintain longstanding strategic and diplomatic relations, with Islamabad continuing to reaffirm its support for the Kingdom’s security and territorial integrity.
