Pakistan vows 'absolute' support for Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks

'Absolute' commitment to Saudi security

Pakistan Army spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Sunday that Islamabad is providing Saudi Arabia with "whatever support is needed" to defend the kingdom against recent Houthi attacks, describing the security of the two holy mosques as a "non-negotiable" priority for Pakistan. Speaking to Independent Arabia, Chaudhry emphasized that Pakistan's commitment to Saudi sovereignty and territorial integrity is "absolute" as Houthi strikes targeting oil infrastructure, financial facilities and airports have intensified in recent weeks.

Defense pacts with Riyadh and Türkiye

Chaudhry highlighted two binding defense agreements governing collective deterrence between Islamabad and Riyadh — the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement and the Mecca Joint Defense Alliance, which also includes Türkiye. "It's non-negotiable; it's absolute as far as Pakistan is concerned," he said, adding that specific military arrangements remain confidential between allies. The Mecca pact, signed on Aug. 7, obligates signatories to treat an attack against one member as an attack against all three parties.

Purely defensive posture

Asked whether Islamabad's support would remain strictly defensive, Chaudhry stated that all three alliance members are "absolutely clear that this alliance has no offensive intent." Citing Article 51 of the UN Charter on the right to collective self-defense, he said the pact sends a clear message that aggression against any member would trigger a unified response. "If that deterrence doesn't work, then that deterrence has to be re-established by all means that are available to the three countries," he said.

The Mecca agreement was formalized on Aug. 7 alongside Türkiye to bolster regional security frameworks, while Pakistani officials maintain active diplomatic channels focused on "dialing down the escalation" with Yemen's Houthi leadership.