Arab News | Pakistan stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Saudi Arabia under Makkah defense pact, says PM

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan stands firmly with Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty, defense and regional security under the Makkah defense agreement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday, as he met Makkah Alliance for Defense Secretary-General Lt. Gen. (retired) Nauman Mahmood.

The statement comes amid attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis on Saudi civilian and oil infrastructure that have killed more than a dozen people and injured scores of others, raising concerns about the widening regional impact of the US-Iran conflict.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in the Saudi holy city on Aug. 7, 2026, committing to treat an armed attack on one member as an attack on all. The defense pact marked one of the region’s most significant new collective security arrangements.

The alliance announced Mahmood’s appointment at an emergency meeting of its Strategic-Political and Defense Committee in Riyadh on Oct. 5, where the three countries also agreed to prepare the military forces and capabilities envisaged under the pact for rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia.

“The Prime Minister extended his best wishes to General (retired) Nauman Mahmood on assuming the office and termed the Makkah agreement a historic milestone for peace, unity and stability in the region,” Sharif’s office said, following his meeting with Mahmood.

“The Prime Minister stated that under the Makkah Defense Agreement, Pakistan stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Saudi Arabia for its sovereignty, defense and regional security.”

The statement came hours after another four people were injured by falling debris in Riyadh after air defenses knocked down Houthi missiles in the Saudi capital, the Saudi Civil Defense said on Wednesday. The authority released images of the damage to the civilian residences.

The Kingdom dealt with a number of ballistic missiles and drones on Tuesday, according to authorities. The Saudi government promised that the Iran-backed Houthi rebels would face consequences for their repeated attacks on the Kingdom.

The secretary-general of the Makkah Defense Alliance briefed the prime minister on the strategy to enhance defense and strategic cooperation within the framework of the Makkah pact, according to Sharif’s office.

The prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support for Saudi Arabia’s legitimate right to self-defense.

“The Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security,” Sharif’s office added.

On Tuesday, Pakistan’s defense minister said that all of his country’s resources were at Saudi Arabia’s disposal to help protect Islam’s holy sites in the Kingdom, reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security.

“All of Pakistan’s resources are available for Saudi Arabia. It is our brotherly country, and the holy sites of our religion are located there. I believe it is our responsibility to protect them and make all our resources available to them,” Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said in comments to private broadcaster, We News, published on Tuesday.

“They are being provided currently and in every stage going forward, we will stand shoulder to shoulder with our Saudi brothers to defend their land against the enemies of Saudi Arabia.”

The Houthis have been attacking Saudi airports ‌and oil facilities since last week. On Saturday, Houthi strikes killed 13 people and wounded hundreds at King Khalid International Airport. Four people died in earlier attacks on Wednesday and Thursday, and another was killed on Sunday.