ISLAMABAD, September 10, 2026 — AALIMI NATION: Pakistan has ruled out any immediate military response under its newly signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement following a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, while making clear that Islamabad would fulfil its obligations under the pact if the situation warrants it.
Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said on Thursday that no military action was currently under discussion in response to the attacks.
“There is no such thing under discussion right now,” Khan said during his weekly media briefing. He added that “when the time comes, we will act under the agreement.”
The clarification comes just a day after Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif warned that the Makkah defence agreement could become operational if the conflict in Yemen spilled over into Saudi Arabia.
The latest statement from Islamabad indicates that Pakistan is not currently preparing for military intervention against the Houthis under the terms of the Makkah agreement.
The pact, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on August 7, provides for collective defence, with an external armed attack against one of the three countries to be treated as an attack against all three.
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar previously described the agreement as “purely defensive in nature” and said it was consistent with the right of individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
The three countries subsequently established a Strategic Political and Defence Committee to institutionalise cooperation under the agreement.
The Pakistani clarification follows an escalation in Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia.
The Iran-aligned Yemeni group has launched missiles and drones toward Saudi territory, including attacks affecting civilian and economic infrastructure.
Pakistan has strongly condemned the attacks on Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, describing them as violations of Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Islamabad has also reaffirmed its support for Riyadh's right to defend its territory and protect its citizens and national assets.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif separately condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian and energy facilities and reaffirmed Pakistan's solidarity with the Saudi leadership and people.
The contrasting statements from Pakistan's defence and foreign ministries underline Islamabad's cautious approach to the rapidly escalating regional crisis.
While Pakistan has made clear that an armed attack against Saudi Arabia could fall within the collective-defence framework, Islamabad is not presently announcing a military deployment or retaliatory operation.
The Foreign Ministry's latest position also leaves open the possibility of action should circumstances change and the conditions of the Makkah agreement be formally triggered.
Meanwhile, fighting between Houthi forces and Saudi-backed Yemeni forces has intensified, raising concerns that the conflict could develop into a wider regional confrontation.
The escalation has also increased pressure on the three members of the Makkah agreement to demonstrate how their collective-defence commitment would operate in practice.
The Houthi attacks represent one of the first major security challenges to emerge after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye established their new defence framework.
For Islamabad, the challenge is balancing its commitment to Saudi Arabia's security with its broader diplomatic efforts to prevent the Yemen conflict from developing into a wider regional war.
For now, Pakistan's message is clear: there is no military action under discussion at present, but Islamabad says it will act under the agreement if and when the circumstances require it.
The distinction could prove significant as fighting continues to intensify around Saudi Arabia and Yemen and regional powers assess whether the latest escalation can be contained.
AALIMI NATION will continue to follow developments surrounding the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, Pakistan-Saudi security cooperation and the widening conflict involving the Houthis.
