Pakistan Warns Makkah Defense Pact With Saudi Arabia May Be Activated
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif warned that the Makkah defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey could be activated if Houthi attacks continue.
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has warned that the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey could be activated if Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia continue or if the conflict in Yemen spills over into the kingdom. Speaking on the Pakistani television program Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath, Asif addressed recent drone and missile strikes targeting cities and infrastructure in southern Saudi Arabia.
Potential Activation of the Defense Pact
"If there is unprovoked aggression, or a spillover of what is happening in Yemen into Saudi Arabia, then the Makkah Agreement will certainly become operational," Asif stated. He emphasized that there should be no ambiguity regarding Islamabad's commitments under the pact, noting that aggression against one member state constitutes aggression against all three.
«If there is unprovoked aggression, or a spillover of what is happening in Yemen into Saudi Arabia, then the Makkah Agreement will certainly become operational. We are committed to the terms of the agreement, and with the help of Allah, we will honor them if necessary.»
Asif also issued a direct warning to the Houthi movement against expanding the conflict outside Yemen, cautioning that non-state actors targeting a member nation do so at their own risk. At the same time, he noted that he had no immediate information regarding direct diplomatic contacts between Islamabad and Riyadh following the latest strikes.
Regional and International Reactions
The remarks follow coordinated Houthi assaults on Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran in southern Saudi Arabia, which left 73 civilians injured according to the Saudi Ministry of Defense. Pakistani media characterized Asif's warning as the strongest signal yet that Pakistan and Turkey are prepared to step in if the escalation persists.
While Turkish media outlets highlighted the potential activation of the pact, official stances in Ankara remain more measured. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan clarified following a Strategic Committee meeting in Istanbul that the alliance is strictly defensive, does not target any specific nation, and does not supersede Turkey's NATO commitments.
