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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 \u201cin every possible way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sharif\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a bilateral agreement, a trilateral agreement with regard to defense (of Saudi Arabia),\u201d Sharif told members of the Cabinet in televised remarks.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Pakistan will not tolerate any kind of aggression. Our agreements demand it and so do our bonds of brotherhood.\u201d<\/p>\n
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 \u201cred line\u201d in that context.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all pray to God that this matter is resolved peacefully,\u201d he said. \u201cOtherwise, Pakistan expresses full solidarity with its Saudi brothers and sisters in every respect, stands firmly with them and will cooperate in every possible way.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a separate statement earlier, Pakistan\u2019s Foreign Ministry said the targeting of a civilian airport constitutes a \u201cheinous act of terrorism, a flagrant violation of international law and a grave threat to regional peace and security.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe continued targeting of civilian population and critical infrastructure by the Houthi militia is utterly unacceptable and must be condemned unequivocally by the international community,\u201d the Pakistani ministry said.<\/p>\n
Pakistani National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq condemned the Houthi attack in a statement shared by the assembly\u2019s secretariat. He described the attack as unacceptable and a \u201cgrave violation of international law.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe emphasized the need to end such acts of violence to safeguard regional peace, security and stability,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
Sadiq underscored Pakistan\u2019s commitment to standing by Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty, territorial integrity and security.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe also expressed solidarity with the leadership and people of all other affected friendly countries,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Pakistan has previously warned that the joint agreement could be operationalized if acts of aggression against the Kingdom continue.<\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s 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 \u201cmultiple capabilities and domains.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n