Pakistan Condemns Aramco Attack, Backs Saudi Arabia
Pakistan condemns Aramco attack in Riyadh and has demanded the Houthis halt all attacks on Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Office said on Monday. The Foreign Office said the attack on civilian infrastructure showed a “reckless regard for human life and regional security”, and it called on the Houthis to halt all attacks on the kingdom “immediately and unconditionally”.
The building was hit on Sunday in what the Saudi energy ministry described as an “attempted attack”. The blast damaged the skyscraper, and the Houthis said they carried it out. The Foreign Office noted that “fortunately, no casualties were reported”, and it commended Saudi authorities for their “vigilance and swift response” in “confronting this unjustifiable and unprovoked aggression”.
Pakistan condemns Aramco attack in Riyadh
The statement said Pakistan stood “resolutely with the leadership of the kingdom” and backed “full support for all measures necessary to safeguard its security, sovereignty and territorial integrity”. It called Saudi Arabia’s security a matter of “paramount importance” to Pakistan.
“Our commitment to the safety and well-being of our Saudi brothers and sisters remains steadfast,” the statement said.
Feature Pakistan reported the attack itself when the Aramco tower in Riyadh was hit on Sunday. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki wrote on social media on Sunday morning that “air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi terrorist militia towards Riyadh”, as loud explosions were heard across the Saudi capital.
An eyewitness told AFP that the “Aramco tower in KAFD has been targeted, that’s the sure thing”, and two other witnesses confirmed damage to the building. KAFD is the King Abdullah Financial District, a cluster of glass skyscrapers that houses major Saudi companies, international firms such as Goldman Sachs, the Public Investment Fund and the Saudi stock exchange.
The rebels in Yemen have repeatedly struck Aramco sites in recent months — tankers, refineries and storage areas among them — as the Middle East conflict has widened. An earlier Houthi missile aimed at the Riyadh region was intercepted before it could strike.
Defence pacts behind Pakistan’s stand
Pakistan has condemned Houthi attacks repeatedly, calling them a grave violation of Saudi sovereignty. This statement carries added weight because Islamabad and Riyadh have signed two defence pacts for collective deterrence: a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between the two countries, and the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which also brings in Turkiye.
Under the Makkah Defence Alliance, the leaders of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye gathered in Riyadh last month and agreed their forces and capabilities could be deployed rapidly in the kingdom. The military’s spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said in mid-October that Pakistan was providing “whatever support is needed” to defend Saudi Arabia. He also stressed that every member of the alliance was “absolutely clear” that it had “no offensive intent; it is purely defensive”.
That pledge echoes an earlier promise in Islamabad. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said Pakistan will defend Saudi Arabia against any threat, and the two countries have kept building economic ties alongside the security partnership. Saudi and Pakistani investors have agreed to set up a private equity fund to boost trade and investment between the two countries.
Schools reopen after earlier strikes
The attack came just hours after the kingdom’s education ministry said in-person schooling would resume in Riyadh, ending weeks of remote learning that followed an earlier wave of strikes. The timing showed how the attacks have disrupted daily life in the Saudi capital, even when air defences shoot the missiles down.
The Foreign Office statement is the latest in a series of Pakistani condemnations of Houthi strikes on Saudi targets. With the defence pacts in place and Pakistani forces ready to deploy under the Makkah alliance, Islamabad’s message was aimed as much at the Houthis as at Riyadh.
Frequently asked questions
What did Pakistan say about the Aramco attack?
Pakistan condemned the Houthi attack on Aramco’s corporate office in Riyadh and demanded the rebels stop all attacks against Saudi Arabia “immediately and unconditionally”.
Was anyone hurt in the Aramco building attack?
No casualties were reported. The Saudi energy ministry said the building was damaged in an “attempted attack”, and the Houthis claimed responsibility.
What is the Aramco tower in KAFD?
It is Aramco’s corporate office in the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, a hub of glass skyscrapers that houses major Saudi companies, international firms, the Public Investment Fund and the Saudi stock exchange.
What defence pacts link Pakistan and Saudi Arabia?
The two countries have signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement and the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which also includes Turkiye. Under the Makkah Defence Alliance, the three countries agreed to deploy forces and capabilities rapidly in the kingdom.
Have Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia happened before?
Yes. Aramco facilities, tankers, refineries and storage areas have been repeatedly targeted in recent months, and earlier Houthi missiles aimed at the Riyadh region were intercepted by Saudi air defences.
