Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement after Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Islamabad would fulfil its obligations under the pact, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s support for Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia signed the agreement in Mecca on August 7. It provides a framework for collective deterrence and states that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack on all.
Saudi authorities said the drone was destroyed before entering Mecca’s prohibited airspace, while the Houthis denied targeting the holy city or any Islamic holy site. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions involving Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed group, including attacks affecting Saudi territory and threats to maritime traffic around the Red Sea.
Asif said Pakistan had also conveyed Saudi concerns to Iran and argued that Tehran was unlikely to deliberately open another front. He distinguished between state actions and those of non-state armed groups, while saying Islamabad would continue efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading.
He also highlighted disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, saying they were affecting regional trade and Pakistan’s economy. Sharif separately condemned the reported drone incident and called for restraint to prevent further escalation.
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