Pakistan Reassures Saudi Arabia Amid Houthi Conflict and Defence Pact Row
Shehbaz Sharif reassured Saudi Arabia of Pakistan’s support after Islamabad clarified that its defence pact does not automatically require offensive action against the Houthis.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Islamabad moved to reassure Riyadh about its commitment to the recently signed defence pact amid escalating fighting in Yemen.
During the call, Sharif strongly condemned recent Houthi attacks targeting Saudi civilian and economic infrastructure and expressed Pakistan’s solidarity with the Saudi leadership and people. He also stressed the need to prevent further regional instability and protect global energy and trade routes.
The outreach followed Islamabad’s clarification that the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement does not automatically require Pakistan to launch offensive military operations against the Iran-backed Houthis. The clarification came after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had suggested that the pact could become operational if the conflict in Yemen spilled into Saudi Arabia.
The agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey states that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack on all. However, Islamabad has since emphasised its defensive nature.
The Yemen conflict has intensified, with Saudi-backed forces fighting the Houthis around key areas near the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The escalation has also increased pressure on Riyadh to secure support from other partners.
Sharif’s conversation with the Saudi Crown Prince comes ahead of his expected meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
