Stories
Pakistan Vows to Defend Saudi Arabia Against Houthis with "Whatever Means Available"
- •Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated the country would use "whatever means are available" to defend Saudi Arabia against Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
- •This declaration signals Pakistan's potential direct involvement in the widening regional conflict, though Asif did not confirm participation in airstrikes.
- •Pakistan's military capabilities will be available to Saudi Arabia under a new mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, signed on August 7 as the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.
- •The agreement, which considers an attack on one member as an attack on all three, brings together oil-rich Saudi Arabia, NATO member Turkey, and nuclear-armed Pakistan.
- •Despite its commitment to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan also seeks to mediate and negotiate an end to the broader conflict involving Iran, supporting a revived nuclear deal.
Key Questions Answered
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, 2026, which states that an armed attack on any single member will be treated as an attack on all three countries, creating a collective defensive alliance.
Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated that Pakistan will use whatever means are available at its disposal to defend Saudi Arabia against Houthi rebels under their new mutual defense arrangements, with military officials affirming Islamabad stands fully prepared to protect the kingdom.
Alongside its military commitments, Pakistan is actively pushing for negotiations to end the wider regional conflict, supporting the revival of a nuclear agreement with Tehran, and previously hosting direct talks between Iran and the United States in Islamabad.
