Pakistan pledges unconditional support to Saudi
Pakistan’s top military spokesperson, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, told Arab News that Islamabad would “go to any extent” to defend Saudi Arabia amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom’s southern coast.
The statement comes as Yemen’s Houthi movement has intensified missile and drone strikes against Saudi territory, prompting the Saudi‑led coalition to increase airstrikes on Houthi positions along the Red Sea corridor.
In September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement that treats an attack on either country as an act of aggression against both. The two nations also joined the Makkah Defence Alliance, a trilateral pact with Turkey that declares an attack on one member a threat to all.
Lt Gen Chaudhry emphasized that Pakistan’s commitment is “unconditional” and that the country is already “there” to protect the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. He added that Pakistan’s political and military leadership remain in continuous contact with Riyadh and that the country is working with regional partners to seek a negotiated, peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan echoed the military’s stance but stressed that the Houthi crisis should be addressed through dialogue rather than coercion. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s intent to implement the defence agreements while keeping operational details confidential.
Analysts note that Pakistan’s pledge signals a deepening of its strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia, reflecting shared interests in regional stability and countering Iranian influence in Yemen. The country’s role as the secretariat of the Makkah Defence Alliance for the first three years also positions it as a key interlocutor in any future diplomatic initiatives.
While the statement underscores Pakistan’s willingness to support Saudi security, it also highlights the broader geopolitical stakes in the Gulf, where alliances and counter‑alliances shape the balance of power.
Operationally, Pakistan has not yet disclosed specific military assets that could be deployed, but the government has indicated that its naval and air forces are prepared to respond if the situation escalates. The country’s strategic location on the Arabian Sea and its experience in maritime security could be leveraged to monitor shipping lanes threatened by Houthi activity.
