• PM vows to safeguard Saudi sovereignty and security; condemns deadly Houthi attacks
• FO says Pakistan will honour its defence obligation; leaves question of military action to Makkah alliance
• Coalition intercepts drones, missiles over Riyadh; fighting rages on Taiz front
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia’s security and said it would fulfil its obligations under their defence agreements after a wave of lethal Houthi missile and drone attacks on the kingdom, even as it insisted the war in Yemen had no military solution.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan stood with Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its “sovereignty, security and territorial integrity”, while strongly condemning a recent escalation in Houthi attacks that has killed and injured civilians, including Pakistani nationals.
His comments came during a meeting in Islamabad with Saudi Arabia’s newly appointed ambassador to Pakistan, Dr Rajeh Tami Albugamy.
PM Shehbaz welcomed the envoy and congratulated him on taking up his diplomatic assignment, saying relations between Islamabad and Riyadh had made significant progress in recent years and that Pakistan wanted to deepen cooperation across a range of sectors.
He said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had historically supported one another and described their Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement and the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance as historic milestones in their relationship and a reflection of their commitment to regional security.
The prime minister also thanked the Saudi leadership for its longstanding economic and financial support for Pakistan and assured Albugamy of Islamabad’s cooperation in strengthening bilateral ties.
In a separate meeting, the ambassador held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, who emphasised the longstanding fraternal and strategic relationship between the two countries.
Mr Dar reaffirmed their “shared commitment to further strengthen bilateral cooperation for mutual progress and prosperity”.
Mr Albugamy conveyed greetings from the Saudi leadership, while Mr Dar sent his best wishes to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other Saudi leaders.
Defence obligations
The prime minister’s remarks were reinforced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at its weekly briefing, where the spokesperson cited Saudi Arabia’s right to defend its sovereignty under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
“Pakistan is a party to the bilateral defence agreement with Saudi Arabia, and a trilateral arrangement is also in place,” Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan told reporters on Friday.
“Pakistan will fulfil its obligations under these agreements.”
The FO said the secretariat of the Makkah alliance was being established and that its secretary-general had already been appointed. It also condemned the latest attack on King Khalid international airport in Riyadh.
The injured Pakistanis were receiving treatment at different locations in Riyadh, the foreign ministry said, adding that Pakistan’s diplomatic mission was in contact with them and their families.
“Attacks against civilian populations and critical infrastructure are unacceptable and constitute a grave threat to regional peace and security,” the spokesperson said, reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
However, when pressed on when Islamabad’s treaty commitments might cross the threshold into direct military action, the foreign ministry declined to be drawn into operational specifics.
Any deployment or military response, the spokesperson said, was a matter for Pakistan’s armed forces, the military’s media wing, and the general secretariat of the Makkah alliance in Riyadh to address.
Despite its defence commitments to Riyadh, Pakistan also stressed its support for Yemen’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and independence and said the conflict could not ultimately be resolved militarily.
“There is no solution through war,” the spokesperson said. “Peace can only be restored through negotiations and the peaceful settlement of disputes.”
Islamabad said it remained committed to diplomacy and de-escalation and supported regional and international efforts aimed at finding a lasting political settlement.
The FO also condemned threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea and expressed concern over the humanitarian and maritime consequences of the widening conflict.
Attacks continue
The violence intensified in Yemen on Friday, with Aden, the interim capital of the Saudi-backed and internationally recognised government, coming under missile attack.
Authorities said two missiles landed within the perimeter of Aden airport, while the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack.
In a statement attributed to a military source, the group said it had targeted what it described as the Saudi forces’ command headquarters at Badr camp in Aden province, as well as a weapons depot.
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis also reported that it had intercepted three drones over Riyadh and southern Saudi Arabia, as well as two cruise missiles over the Red Sea. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said a ballistic missile had also been intercepted over Yanbu, a Red Sea city that hosts the terminus of a major oil pipeline.
Fighting has also continued around Taiz, where forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government have been trying to halt Houthi advances.
Government media reported that forces had repelled Houthi attacks on the Dhahih and Hisn Kahlan fronts, while clashes continued around Jabal al-Dahhih in Taiz province’s al-Masrakh district, according to Al Jazeera.
Iran on Friday denied Saudi accusations that it was involved in the Houthis’ recent escalation against the kingdom.
The denial came after Saudi deputy minister for public diplomacy Rayed Krimly earlier this week accused Iran of continuing “to arm, train and support the Houthis” and of encouraging the group’s attacks.
With input from AFP
Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2026
