Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif says “the time has come” to implement the “Mecca Agreement,” a defence pact linking Pakistan with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia increase. Speaking to Pakistan’s Geo News, he states Islamabad is committed to defending Saudi Arabia and protecting Islam’s holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
Asif says the agreement “applies” to Pakistan and that Islamabad will fulfil its duty, adding that Pakistan would protect the holy sites even without the pact, though he does not specify what actions Pakistan would take. Some reports also cite Asif saying Pakistan has passed Saudi Arabia’s message to Iran regarding the Houthi attacks and that Iran would not “open another front.”
The Houthis respond by denying targeting holy sites, with one spokesman saying their operations target Saudi oil facilities and military bases that are “far removed” from sacred areas. Across outlets, the emphasis differs mainly on wording—whether Pakistan is “ready” versus that “time has come”—while the core claim is Pakistan’s intent to implement the Mecca defence arrangement amid the ongoing conflict.
