Asif vows practical, diplomatic support for Saudi Arabia

Pakistan will stand by Saudi Arabia both practically and diplomatically if the conflict involving Yemen’s Houthi rebels escalates, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said.

The statement came amid rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Saudi authorities recently reported intercepting a Houthi drone near Makkah. The Houthis rejected the accusation and denied targeting the holy city.

Speaking in a television interview, Asif said Pakistan would fulfil its obligations under the trilateral defence agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.

He said the agreement provides for collective action if the territorial integrity of any member comes under threat.

Asif said there was no ambiguity about Pakistan’s commitment. He added that Pakistan would honour the agreement according to its terms.

The defence minister also stressed that the protection of Makkah and Madinah was not dependent solely on a formal agreement. He described the protection of the holy sites as a religious responsibility.

He said Muslims would not need to wait for an agreement if the holy sites faced an attack.

Asif declined to disclose details of any military or defence strategy involving the Houthis. He said matters of this nature could not be discussed publicly.

The minister also commented on Iran’s possible role in the Yemen conflict. He said he considered it unlikely that Iran, as a state, would open another front by directly supporting the Houthis.

According to Asif, Iran is already dealing with another conflict in the region. He said expanding the confrontation into another theatre could create a wider regional crisis.

The comments came on the same day that Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry described the Pakistan-Saudi-Turkiye agreement as defensive.

He said the agreement was designed for collective deterrence. He maintained that it had no offensive or regional expansion agenda.

The military spokesperson said the pact formalised Pakistan’s longstanding defence relationship with Saudi Arabia and its ties with Turkiye.

He also rejected the description of the agreement as an exclusive alliance for Muslim countries.

According to him, the arrangement is aimed at regional stability. He said future expansion would be a decision for the leadership of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.

The agreement was signed by the three countries on August 7. It states that an attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all members.

The first meeting under the agreement was held in Istanbul on August 31. Pakistan was selected to initially lead the alliance’s secretariat for three years.

The possibility of including other countries has also been discussed. However, officials have said the three founding members first need to establish the new mechanism before considering further expansion.

The latest statements come as fighting between the Houthis and forces aligned with Yemen’s government has intensified.

The conflict has also increased pressure on Saudi Arabia. Houthi attacks have affected Saudi territory and shipping routes in the region.

The strategic importance of the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab has added to concerns about regional trade and energy supplies.

Saudi Arabia has also faced heightened security concerns following the reported drone incident near Makkah.

The Saudi-led coalition said the drone was intercepted before it entered restricted airspace around the holy city. The Houthis denied that the drone was targeting Makkah.

Pakistan has so far publicly emphasised its commitment to the defence agreement while not announcing any specific military operation against the Houthis.

Foreign Office officials have also previously stated that there were no discussions of military action in response to the Houthi attacks, while stressing that Pakistan would fulfil the terms of the agreement.