As Saudi tensions with Houthis escalate, mediator Pakistan faces pressure to choose a side

Islamabad and Dubai - Pakistan has long played a dual role as Saudi Arabia's defense partner and Washington's back channel to Tehran. This week's fighting between Yemen's Houthi movement and Saudi forces is testing Islamabad's ability to maintain both positions simultaneously. The conflict marks the first significant challenge to the defense alliance signed between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey last month.

Under this arrangement, an armed attack on any one of the three countries is considered an attack on all. Pakistani officials fear the Houthi threat may lead to direct involvement in a war, unlike earlier missile strikes on Saudi energy infrastructure. Pakistani troops are positioned near the Saudi border with Yemen, increasing their direct exposure.

Defense deals with Gulf nations have been crucial for Pakistan's economic recovery, but the country also depends on oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, which Iran and the Houthis can disrupt. Pakistan has warned Iran to curb its support for the Yemeni Houthi allies, while its army chief held a call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to seek ways to de-escalate tensions.

Pakistani officials are cautious not to provoke Iran and avoid damaging their relations. Iran has praised Pakistan's mediation efforts, but privately, it questions Islamabad's ability to deliver on its promises, suggesting that Qatar and Oman would be better equipped for the role. Analysts suggest that Tehran engages Pakistan precisely because of its alignment with Riyadh and Washington, but an escalation in the Houthi-Saudi conflict could shift the balance, potentially transforming Pakistan from a stakeholder to an active combatant.