Pakistan has pledged to defend Saudi Arabia against attacks as rising Houthi strikes put its new defence commitments under scrutiny.
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistan fully supports the Kingdom.
The military spokesperson stressed that Islamabad’s commitment includes both diplomatic and physical support. He also said Pakistan would defend Saudi Arabia against any aggression.
Pakistan Promises Full Support to Saudi Arabia
“Pakistan fully stands with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, both diplomatically and physically,” Chaudhry said.
“And I would like to underscore here the word physically … We will go to any extent.”
Chaudhry said Pakistan’s commitment also covers the protection of Makkah and Madinah. He stressed that there should be no doubt about Islamabad’s position.
“Our commitment to the Saudi security is unconditional,” Chaudhry said. He linked the commitment to the longstanding relationship between the two countries.
Houthi Attacks Increase Pressure on Riyadh
The statement comes after a series of missile and drone attacks linked to Yemen’s Houthi movement.
Saudi authorities reported that debris from an intercepted drone killed one person and injured two others in Taif. Saudi Arabia also said it intercepted a drone heading toward restricted airspace around Makkah.
Meanwhile, drones from Iraq damaged three pumping stations on Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline. The damage temporarily disrupted the important oil-export route.
Saudi Arabia has also approached several countries for additional support. These include Pakistan, Britain, France and Egypt, as Riyadh faces pressure on its missile-defence supplies.
New Defence Agreement Faces Its First Major Test
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, 2026.
The agreement states that an armed attack against one of the three countries will be treated as an attack against all three. It also calls for stronger defence cooperation between the members.
The pact builds on the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in September 2025.
However, the full operational details of the agreements have not been made public. Therefore, questions remain about the specific military response required under the defence commitments.
Pakistan Already Has Forces in Saudi Arabia
Pakistan already maintains a significant military presence in Saudi Arabia.
In May, Islamabad deployed around 8,000 troops, JF-17 fighter jets, drones and an HQ-9 air-defence system to the Kingdom, according to Reuters.
However, Chaudhry did not disclose whether Saudi Arabia has requested additional Pakistani troops or air-defence systems.
He also did not confirm whether Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent falls under the defence guarantees.
Pakistan has previously issued different statements on the issue. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had said Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities could be available if needed.
He later told Reuters that nuclear weapons were “not on the radar” of the agreement.
Islamabad Continues Diplomatic Efforts
Alongside its defence commitments, Pakistan is pursuing diplomatic efforts to prevent further regional escalation.
Army Chief and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday. Iranian state media said they discussed regional developments. However, it did not specify whether they discussed the Houthi attacks.
Pakistan has also been communicating with regional governments while seeking a negotiated solution to the wider crisis.
Chaudhry said: “The politico-military leadership of Pakistan remains in continuous communication with the esteemed leadership of this Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on all these matters.”
He added that Pakistani officials were working toward “a negotiated and peaceful outcome” to the regional crisis.
Pakistan Seeks a Negotiated Outcome
Pakistan previously helped mediate negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Those efforts produced the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding in June.
The agreement created a framework for addressing the conflict and disputes involving Iran’s nuclear programme and regional security.
However, subsequent negotiations have stalled amid renewed military escalation and disagreements over implementation.
Chaudhry described the Islamabad MoU as “a consensus document which we think provides the only real pathway forward for getting out of this complex military situation in which we are there.”
For now, Islamabad says diplomatic efforts will continue alongside its stated defence commitment to Saudi Arabia. The latest developments could further test how the new regional defence framework operates in practice.
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