Defence minister says time has come to implement Makkah pact amid Houthi attacks

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said he believed the situation had reached a point where the Makkah agreement had to be implemented, following an attempted drone attack near the holy city.

“Makkah Agreement applies to us, and we will fulfil our duty,” Asif said while speaking on Geo News programme 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath', adding that Pakistan was bound by the agreement but he could not go into its details.

He said Pakistan did not need an agreement to protect the holy sites, stressing that safeguarding them was a duty even in the absence of the Makkah Agreement.

"If Makkah is attacked, there is no need for an agreement to protect it," Asif said.

His remarks came after Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Makkah before it entered prohibited airspace over the holy city.

The drone was intercepted on Tuesday evening and was reportedly the second Houthi attempt to target Makkah, according to a spokesperson for the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen. 

However, Houthi officials have denied targeting the holy city. "Our operations target its [Saudi] oil facilities and military bases, which are far removed from the sacred sites," Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s full support for Saudi Arabia’s defence and said Islamabad stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Riyadh.

The prime minister condemned what he described as a “dastardly and heinous attempted drone attack” against the Holy Site of Makkah Al-Mukarramah.

He urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further escalation, saying the region had already suffered extensively from conflict and that dialogue and diplomacy remained the only sustainable path towards peace.

Speaking during today's show, Asif said the pact provided for mutual defence if the territorial integrity or geographical boundaries of any of the three countries were violated, adding that there was "absolutely no ambiguity" about its application.

He said Pakistan would not publicly discuss the details of any defence or military strategy, but reiterated that Islamabad was bound by the agreement and would fulfil its obligations.

Responding to a question, Asif said Pakistan had conveyed Saudi Arabia’s message to Iran amid concerns over attacks by Houthi forces against the kingdom.

He said he did not believe Iran, as a state, would support the Houthis in a way that would lead to the opening of another front in the region.

“I don't think Iran as a state will open another front,” Asif said, adding that Tehran was already embroiled in a conflict in the region.

He distinguished between the Iranian state and informal arrangements involving non-state groups, saying such groups could act without waiting for formal approval or support from a state.

He said Iran taking sides in the conflict involving the Houthis and Saudi Arabia would not, in his assessment, be a prudent course because of Tehran’s relations with other countries.

Asif said the possibility of Iran opening another front was minimal and that further escalation should be avoided. He also said Pakistan would continue efforts to prevent the conflict from expanding into additional theatres.

Discussing the wider regional security situation, Asif said the trilateral defence agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye was one arrangement that had already emerged as countries considered their own security needs.

He said other defence arrangements could emerge in the region, although he stressed that this was his analysis rather than information based on any specific development.

According to Asif, if countries in the region increasingly have to provide for their own security, states could cooperate more closely to counter non-state armed groups. He said regional states would need to work together and develop arrangements aimed at stabilising security.

Asif said the disruption of maritime routes, including concerns surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, was affecting maritime trade and economies across the region.

He said continued disruption of the routes was particularly important for Pakistan because of its impact on the country's economy.

The minister said the wider conflict had expanded beyond the issues that initially dominated discussions, with maritime routes becoming a major concern.

He stressed the importance of keeping maritime trade routes open, saying their disruption was having a significant economic impact on Pakistan and the wider region.