Pakistan Vows to Honour Makkah Defence Pact After Houthi Drone Threat
Pakistan has reaffirmed its defence commitments to Saudi Arabia under the Makkah pact after Riyadh reported intercepting a Houthi drone near Mecca.
Pakistan has reiterated that it will fulfil its commitments under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement after Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone near Mecca. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said there was no ambiguity about Pakistan’s obligations under the pact, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Islamabad’s support for Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Mecca on August 7. The agreement establishes a collective defence framework under which an armed attack on one member is to be treated as an attack on all three.
Saudi authorities said the drone was intercepted south of Mecca before entering the city’s prohibited airspace. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca or any Islamic holy site.
Asif said Pakistan would protect the holy sites regardless of the agreement and would not publicly disclose details of its military strategy. He also said Islamabad had conveyed Saudi concerns to Iran and expressed the view that Tehran was unlikely to open another front in the conflict.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions involving Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, including attacks affecting Saudi territory and threats to maritime traffic around the Red Sea. Asif said disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab were affecting regional trade and Pakistan’s economy.
Sharif condemned the reported drone incident and called for maximum restraint to prevent further escalation. Islamabad said it would continue diplomatic efforts aimed at containing the conflict and keeping vital maritime routes open.
