Makkah alliance forces will not cross into Yemen to attack Houthis, FO says
Makkah alliance forces will not cross into Yemen to attack Houthis, FO says
Makkah alliance forces will not cross the border into Yemen to launch attacks against the Houthis, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Friday, calling the three-country pact a strictly defensive arrangement meant to protect Saudi Arabia’s territory and sovereignty.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan set out the position at his weekly press briefing in Islamabad, as Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi targets continued and questions grew about the role of Pakistani troops under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
“Substantial” Pakistani forces already in Riyadh
Asked what active support Pakistan was offering as part of the alliance, Khan said Pakistan already had a major military footprint in the Saudi capital.
“Pakistan already has a substantial number of forces, as well as resources, in Riyadh. It is now up to the organisation to assess the threat perception and operate in accordance with its own mandate,” he said.
He declined to share operational details. Pakistani forces had been present in Saudi Arabia since 1982 in various capacities, he noted, with further deployment after last year’s bilateral defence agreement.
Makkah alliance forces to remain defensive
In the briefing’s clearest statement yet on the rules of engagement, Khan told AFP the alliance would not take the fight across the Yemen border.
“The Makkah Alliance is a defensive organisation,” he said. “These forces would not cross the border into Yemen to launch attacks against the Houthis. However, they would, of course, be utilised to defend the country’s territory and safeguard its sovereignty.”
PAF jets report dismissed again
Khan also rejected renewed media claims that Pakistani fighter jets had taken part in airstrikes against the Houthis.
“As regards your question about Pakistani fighter jets being involved in cross-border operations, this is speculative news, which has also been refuted by the Minister for Information,” he said.
Attacks, suspended flights and 2.5 million Pakistanis
The briefing followed a tense week. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned repeated Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia on Friday. Saudi aviation authorities said attacks this week hit Riyadh airport facilities and a Saudia aircraft, killing three Saudi nationals including a pilot. PIA has temporarily suspended its Riyadh flights, citing the situation in the Middle East.
Khan said the attacks deeply concerned Pakistan, noting that around 2.5 million Pakistanis live and work in the kingdom. He disclosed that a Pakistani truck driver in Yemen had recently been killed in a drone attack.
He added that the alliance’s Strategic Political and Defence Committee met in Riyadh on October 5, with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir joining their Saudi and Turkish counterparts.
On Turkiye, Khan would not comment on its foreign minister’s remark that Ankara had not committed troops to operations against the Houthis, but noted Turkiye had signed the agreement and attended the October 5 meeting.
The pact, signed on August 7 by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, carries NATO-style collective defence provisions. Pakistan’s military spokesman told CNN this week that Islamabad’s commitment to Saudi security was absolute but any involvement would be defensive in nature.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Makkah alliance?
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement is a trilateral pact signed on August 7 by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. It provides for collective defence, treating an attack on any one member as an attack on all three.
Will Pakistani forces fight the Houthis inside Yemen?
No. The Foreign Office said on October 9 that the alliance is a defensive organisation and its forces would not cross into Yemen to attack the Houthis. They would only defend Saudi territory and sovereignty.
How long have Pakistani troops been in Saudi Arabia?
Pakistani armed forces have been present in Saudi Arabia in various capacities since 1982, including logistics and training missions, with further deployment after last year’s bilateral defence agreement.
Why did PIA suspend flights to Riyadh?
PIA temporarily suspended its Riyadh operations citing the situation in the Middle East, after Houthi attacks on Saudi airports killed three Saudi nationals and damaged airport facilities and a Saudia aircraft.
