PM Shehbaz meets MDA chief, reaffirms security commitment to Saudi Arabia

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened with the newly appointed secretary-general of the Makkah Defence Alliance, Lieutenant General (retd) Nauman Mahmood, on Wednesday to receive an update on the strategy for strengthening "defence and strategic cooperation" under the pact, according to state-run Radio Pakistan. Mahmood assumed his role as the first secretary general of the tripartite defense alliance between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye last month.

The agreement, signed on August 7, grants member states the right to consider an attack on any one of them as an attack on all. During the meeting, the premier emphasized that the pact marked a "historic milestone for peace, unity, and stability in the region," and extended his best wishes to Mahmood for his new position. PM Shehbaz also reaffirmed Pakistan's "unwavering commitment" to safeguarding Saudi Arabia's "sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security" as the Gulf state has faced mounting tensions with Yemen's Houthi rebels in recent days.

The premier affirmed Pakistan's unwavering support for Saudi Arabia, stating that the two nations stand "shoulder to shoulder" against shared threats. The meeting took place amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia launching airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen on Tuesday. These strikes targeted fuel and energy facilities believed to be supporting missile and drone attacks, following the Yemeni group's threat of a "harsh and painful" response against Saudi targets.

Saudi authorities issued warnings of potential hostile aerial threats in the kingdom's eastern province and Riyadh, while a Saudi energy ministry official confirmed explosions near Saudi Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran. Four people, including two women, a man, and a child, were injured by debris from two intercepted Houthi cruise missiles in the capital, and 15 homes were damaged.

The Houthis have frequently targeted Saudi airports, oil installations, and tankers since a truce in their ongoing war with Yemen's coalition government collapsed in July. To demonstrate its solidarity, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye agreed to the swift deployment of military forces and capabilities during an emergency Makkah pact meeting in Riyadh on October 5.

Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, stated that both Pakistan and Turkiye had a "presence in theatre," while Saudi troops conducted combat operations. Asif reiterated Pakistan's "unconditional" commitment to Saudi Arabia's security and pledged that Islamabad would "practically and diplomatically" support the kingdom against Yemen's Houthi rebels if the situation worsens.

The minister affirmed Pakistan's adherence to the Makkah Defence Alliance's terms and pledged to fulfill all its obligations under the agreement with the three nations.