Pakistan PM calls Houthi threats to Saudi holy sites a ‘red line’
Pakistan PM, a signatory to the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia at UNGA 81.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared that any assault on the holy cities of Makkah or Madinah constitutes a "red line" during his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Friday. Saudi Arabia's air defenses recently neutralized a Houthi drone south of Makkah, which had entered the city's restricted airspace.
Sharif emphasized that any threat to the "safety and sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain", the two holiest mosques in Islam, "is a red line that must never be crossed". He stressed that "no Muslim can even dare to think of committing such a heinous crime". Earlier this month, Pakistan signed a joint defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, a deal yet to be fully ratified, committing to the collective security of Riyadh, Ankara, and Islamabad.
Saudi Arabia has also declared Makkah off-limits to any aggression. On Thursday, Saudi state media announced that a meeting is being convened for the chiefs of staff of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey to explore support under the Makkah Defence Agreement. This pact stipulates that an attack on one party is considered an attack on all three nations.
The Houthi group has escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia as part of a broader conflict involving Iran-aligned armed groups in the Middle East.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
- Any attack on Makkah or Madinah is a ‘red line’, says Pakistan’s PM thenationalnews.com
