Pakistan says pact could activate after Saudi attacks

The Daily Jagran reports that Pakistan strongly condemned recent Houthi missile and drone attacks targeting civilian and economic sites in Saudi Arabia, while facing intense scrutiny over the non-activation of the newly signed Mecca Defence Pact. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated during a live television interview that the mutual defense agreement, signed in August by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, would only become operational if the need arose, adding that Riyadh has not formally requested assistance. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed solidarity with Saudi leadership without mentioning the activation of the trilateral pact.

The Times of India reports that Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that the newly formed Makkah defence alliance between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye could be activated if the Yemen conflict spills into Saudi territory. Asif stated that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all, following Houthi missile and drone strikes that injured 73 civilians in southern Saudi Arabia. The minister emphasized that the pact is defensive and serves as a deterrent.

The New Indian Express reports that Pakistan issued a warning regarding its Makkah Defence Alliance after Houthi missile and drone strikes targeted Saudi Arabia. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that the pact's collective-defence mechanism could be invoked if the conflict spills over. The Houthi attacks on Saudi cities and infrastructure resulted in at least 73 civilian injuries, according to reports.

India Today reports that Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey could become operative following Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. Asif asserted that any unprovoked aggression against a member state would trigger the collective defence provisions. The Houthi strikes on Saudi cities and infrastructure injured 73 civilians, prompting Islamabad to warn against expanding the regional conflict.

Dawn reports that Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif cautioned that the Makkah Defence Alliance could become operational if the Yemen conflict spills into Saudi Arabia. The remarks followed Houthi rebel attacks on Saudi oil installations that injured 73 people. Asif affirmed that Pakistan is bound by the terms of the trilateral pact, while also expressing hope that tensions will subside through diplomatic efforts.

Al Jazeera reports that Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated the recently signed Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Turkiye, and Saudi Arabia could be activated if Yemen’s Houthi group continues its attacks on the kingdom. According to the source, the Houthis launched missile and drone strikes that wounded at least 73 people in southern Saudi Arabia, prompting retaliatory air strikes by Saudi warplanes across multiple Yemeni governorates. The article details that the trilateral pact mirrors a NATO-style collective defence clause, though precise implementation mechanisms remain unclarified amidst escalating regional tensions.

According to Reuters, Pakistan warned Iran to restrain Houthi forces in Yemen after attacks targeted Saudi Arabia, stating that further cross-border aggression could activate a joint defense pact signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif asserted that an attack on one nation is considered an attack on all three, while the Houthis threatened additional action following Saudi retaliatory strikes in Yemen. Reuters reported that Pakistani officials did not respond to requests for comment.