Pakistan pledges full military backing to Saudi Arabia under Mecca pact after deadly Houthi strikes

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged to support Saudi Arabia “in every possible way” after Houthi attacks on airports in Riyadh and Abha killed 12 people and injured 309 others, citing Pakistan’s defense agreements with the kingdom and Turkey. 

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Sharif condemned the attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport as “heinous.” Six Pakistani nationals were among those injured in the Riyadh strike. 

“We have a bilateral agreement, a trilateral agreement with regard to defense (of Saudi Arabia),” Sharif told Cabinet members in televised remarks.

The prime minister referred to the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, under which an attack against one country is considered an attack against all. 

Pakistan’s military confirmed last week that Pakistani forces had been deployed to Saudi Arabia under the trilateral defense agreement. It said the soldiers were carrying out duties in the kingdom in “multiple capabilities and domains.”

Bonds of brotherhood, Muslims share responsibility of protecting Mecca, Medina

“And Pakistan will not tolerate any kind of aggression. Our agreements demand it and so do our bonds of brotherhood.”

Sharif also described protection of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina as a responsibility shared by millions of Muslims around the world and called the Houthi attacks a “red line” in that context.

Despite pledging Pakistan’s backing for Saudi Arabia, Sharif expressed hope that the confrontation could be settled without further fighting.

“We all pray to God that this matter is resolved peacefully,” he said. “Otherwise, Pakistan expresses full solidarity with its Saudi brothers and sisters in every respect, stands firmly with them and will cooperate in every possible way.”

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry separately condemned the targeting of a civilian airport in an earlier statement. 

The ministry called the attack a “heinous act of terrorism, a flagrant violation of international law and a grave threat to regional peace and security.”