As Houthis Attack Saudi Arabia, Pakistan Says Mecca Pact Is ‘Not An Aggressive’ Deal

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stressed that the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye is defensive in nature, as Houthi attacks on Saudi territory raise questions over whether the pact could be activated.

The comments came a day after Yemen’s Iran aligned Houthi forces launched a wave of missile and drone attacks against Saudi civilian and economic sites, including energy facilities in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran. Saudi authorities said 73 people were wounded, while fires broke out at several energy facilities and some operations were temporarily halted.

Asif said the agreement does not give Pakistan, Saudi Arabia or Türkiye the authority to independently launch attacks against another country. Instead, it establishes a collective defence mechanism if one of the three members faces aggression.

“This is not an aggressive agreement under which the three countries would, on their own initiative, attack another country. But if there is any aggression against one member state, all three member states will respond,” Asif said in a television interview.

He added that Pakistan remains bound by the pact and would honour its terms if the collective defence mechanism is activated. Asif also warned that the agreement could become operational if the Yemen conflict spills over into Saudi territory.

“There should be no doubt about this. We are bound by the terms and conditions of this pact and, God willing, we will honour them in case there is a need,” he said.

At the same time, Asif said he was not aware of any direct contact between Islamabad and Riyadh following the latest Houthi attacks. He emphasised that the pact should primarily serve as a deterrent and does not necessarily mean an immediate military response.

The latest remarks come after the three countries moved to further institutionalise the agreement. At a meeting in Istanbul on August 31, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye agreed to establish a secretariat in Saudi Arabia and strengthen collective deterrence, defence cooperation and defence industry ties.

Saudi Arabia has vowed to defend its sovereignty following the attacks, while the Houthis have said their strikes were retaliation for Saudi airstrikes in Yemen. Saudi Arabia has supported Yemen’s internationally recognised government in its conflict with the Houthis.