Arab News | Pakistan PM says Riyadh attack a ‘red line,’ vows Islamabad will cooperate with Riyadh ‘in every possible way’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday condemned the latest Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that killed 12 people and injured more than 300, vowing that Islamabad would cooperate with the Kingdom “in every possible way.”

Sharif’s response came a day after the Iran-backed Houthis attacked the airport. The General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed the number of fatalities and added that some of the injured were in a critical condition.

The Houthis in Yemen have intensified attacks against Saudi aviation facilities recently, as the US-Iran conflict drags on. These attacks included strikes on airports in Riyadh and Abha on Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 that reportedly killed three people and injured 36 others.

Pakistan, which signed a bilateral defense agreement with Saudi Arabia in September 2025 and a trilateral defense agreement involving both the Kingdom and Turkiye in August this year, has warned the Houthis against attacking the Kingdom in recent statements.

“We have a bilateral agreement, a trilateral agreement with regard to defense (of Saudi Arabia),” Sharif told members of the Cabinet in televised remarks.

“And Pakistan will not tolerate any kind of aggression. Our agreements demand it and so do our bonds of brotherhood.”

The Pakistani premier said it is the responsibility of millions of Muslims worldwide to protect the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, terming the Houthi attacks a “red line” in that context.

“We all pray to God that this matter is resolved peacefully,” he said. “Otherwise, Pakistan expresses full solidarity with its Saudi brothers and sisters in every respect, stands firmly with them and will cooperate in every possible way.”

In a separate statement earlier, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the targeting of a civilian airport constitutes a “heinous act of terrorism, a flagrant violation of international law and a grave threat to regional peace and security.”

“The continued targeting of civilian population and critical infrastructure by the Houthi militia is utterly unacceptable and must be condemned unequivocally by the international community,” the Pakistani ministry said.

Pakistani National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq condemned the Houthi attack in a statement shared by the assembly’s secretariat. He described the attack as unacceptable and a “grave violation of international law.”

“He emphasized the need to end such acts of violence to safeguard regional peace, security and stability,” the statement said.

Sadiq underscored Pakistan’s commitment to standing by Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty, territorial integrity and security.

“He also expressed solidarity with the leadership and people of all other affected friendly countries,” the statement added.

The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, signed by Islamabad, Ankara and Riyadh in August, stipulates that an attack against any of the three nations will be considered an attack against them all.

Pakistan has previously warned that the joint agreement could be operationalized if acts of aggression against the Kingdom continue.

Pakistan’s military confirmed the deployment of Pakistani forces to Saudi Arabia under the trilateral defense agreement last week, saying Pakistani soldiers were discharging duties in the Kingdom in “multiple capabilities and domains.”