Pakistan took its case against Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia to the UN Security Council on Friday, as Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad urged the 15-member body to act against the escalating strikes.
The ambassador, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, spoke at the Council’s monthly briefing on Yemen in New York, calling for concerted action to halt the Houthi campaign against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping in the Red Sea corridor.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia,” he said, calling the targeting of infrastructure in the Makkah Governorate and the Taibah power distribution station in Madinah “outrageous”.
Envoy quotes PM on Saudi security commitment
The ambassador carried Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s position to the Council floor. “Pakistan stands in unwavering solidarity with the leadership and people of brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We also fully support Saudi Arabia’s legitimate right to defend its people and protect its cities and vital infrastructure,” he said, quoting the prime minister.
He added that Pakistan’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement remained resolute. The prime minister had condemned the strikes on Saudi airports two days earlier, a statement that set the tone for Friday’s UN address.
The envoy also denounced the attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha airport, which killed civilians and injured others, calling them a grave threat to regional peace and security.
Pakistan UN Security Council briefing lays out four points
The ambassador set out a four-point position for the Council.
First, he demanded an immediate end to the Houthi attacks. The security and sanctity of the Two Holy Mosques must be respected at all times, he said.
Second, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Yemen’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, backing the internationally recognised government. He warned that the intensifying Houthi offensive along Yemen’s western coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb strait threatened maritime security, and demanded an end to attacks on commercial vessels, saying freedom of navigation must be upheld under international law.
Third, he backed UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg’s mediation and called for a credible, inclusive Yemeni-led political process under UN auspices.
Fourth, he urged protection for civilians, pointing to fighting around Taiz and the attack on Aden airport. He demanded safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access and the immediate, unconditional release of detained UN, humanitarian and diplomatic personnel.
“The Council must act with unity and purpose,” he told the chamber, warning that Yemen’s descent into conflict demanded urgent attention.
What happens next
The address caps a fast-moving week for the Makkah defence arrangement. On October 5, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye agreed at an emergency meeting in Riyadh to accelerate force deployments in the kingdom, and the Foreign Office has since said alliance forces remain defensive.
The stakes rose after Houthi strikes on the Riyadh airport area, in which a Saudi pilot was killed, and after PIA suspended its flights to Riyadh over the security situation.
For Islamabad, Friday’s statement formalises at the UN what it has already said bilaterally. The full text of the address was carried by WE News. The test now is whether the Council responds with the unity Pakistan demanded.
Frequently asked questions
What did Pakistan ask the UN Security Council to do?
Pakistan urged the Council to take concerted action to stop Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and against commercial shipping, and to act with unity and purpose toward a political settlement in Yemen.
Who spoke for Pakistan at the briefing?
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, delivered the statement at the Council’s monthly briefing on Yemen in New York on October 9, 2026.
Which attacks did Pakistan condemn?
He condemned attacks on infrastructure in the Makkah Governorate and the Taibah power station in Madinah, plus strikes on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha airport that killed civilians and injured others.
What is the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement?
A defence pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed in September 2026. Its Strategic Political and Defence Committee met in emergency session in Riyadh on October 5.
What did Pakistan say about shipping in the Red Sea?
He warned that Houthi attacks along Yemen’s western coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb strait endanger seafarers and disrupt trade, and demanded they stop attacking commercial vessels.
