Pakistan will defend holy cities ‘with or without agreement’: Khawaja Asif

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared on Wednesday that Pakistan would safeguard the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, irrespective of any formal pact, in the wake of escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen. Referring to the protection of the cities as an "eternal agreement", Asif stated that Pakistan would act to shield the sacred sites even without a prearranged understanding.

Speaking to the private television show Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Ke Sath, the minister affirmed that Pakistan would honour its religious duty to protect Makkah and Madinah, regardless of whether such an attack occurred with or without a formal agreement. He emphasized that this obligation superseded any worldly agreements, including the mutual defense pact known as the Makkah Defence Alliance, which ties Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey together in mutual protection.

Asif reiterated that if Makkah or Madinah were to face an assault, Pakistan would respond without seeking prior agreement, as defending the "House of God" was a matter of faith. He stressed that while the three nations had a formal alliance, the core principle of mutual defense transcended the need for explicit consent before acting.