Pakistan will stand by Saudi Arabia in any conflict, whether the threat comes from the Houthis, another country or any other group, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said.
“We are there to help Saudi Arabia in any conflict, whether it is coming from the Houthis or a country or any other outfit that threatens Saudi Arabia’s security. We will be there to defend them,” Asif said in a video clip from an interview with Al Jazeera, Dawn reported.
“Any enemy of Saudi Arabia is an enemy of Pakistan”
Asif said there was “absolutely no doubt in our mind that Houthis are committing aggression against Saudi Arabia”.
Pakistan, he said, was bound by an arrangement to defend the kingdom, and “that means that whatever means are available at our disposal, they will be available to Saudi Arabia also”.
He called the Houthis “enemies of Saudi Arabia, and any enemy of Saudi Arabia is an enemy of Pakistan”.
Asif also said Iran was not accepting the Houthis as its proxy, warning that “some of these proxies have become rogue”. Countries launch proxies, he said, which then multiply and become “a rogue sort of entity”.
Fighting in Yemen drags in Riyadh
His remarks come as fresh fighting between the Houthis and Yemen’s government has drawn in Saudi Arabia. The Houthis have declared a maritime blockade on the kingdom and are targeting its ships in the Red Sea, and both sides have claimed strikes on each other.
On September 18, the ISPR Director General, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said Pakistan would go to “any extent” to defend Saudi Arabia, and that its commitment to the kingdom’s security was “unconditional”.
Two defence pacts
Pakistan has signed two defence agreements with Saudi Arabia:
- Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (September 2025): “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both”
- Makkah Defence Alliance (August 7, 2026): with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, under which an attack on one is an attack on all three
The military chiefs of the three countries met in Riyadh last week and agreed to “immediately translate” their commitments under the Makkah alliance into effective military cooperation. Pakistan has also deployed about 8,000 troops, fighter jets, drones and an air-defence system to Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters.
MBS: the pact protects the region
On Wednesday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the Makkah alliance was created “to strengthen regional stability, shield it from the repercussions of tensions and conflicts, and coordinate efforts”, The Express Tribune reported.
Delivering the annual royal address to the Shura Council on behalf of King Salman, he said attacks on Gulf states showed that Gulf security was “indivisible”, and warned: “We will not hesitate to respond firmly to any threat or attack aimed at undermining our security.”
He also condemned Israel’s “brutal attacks” on Palestinians in Gaza and its “repeated violations” of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and called for a lasting political solution in Palestine.
Why it matters
Saudi Arabia is home to Islam’s two holiest sites and is one of Pakistan’s closest allies, hosting millions of Pakistani workers. Asif’s words leave no doubt that Pakistan’s commitment is real, and the Makkah pact, now praised by the crown prince himself, has made Pakistan a central pillar of Gulf security. Read our reports on the Makkah pact military chiefs’ meeting and on what comes next for the alliance.
This article draws on reporting by Dawn, The Express Tribune and Reuters.
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