{
  "id": 11460899,
  "title": "Dar says Makkah defence pact committee to meet next week on Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/dar-says-makkah-defence-pact-committee-to-meet-next-week-on-houthi-11460899",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-02T14:44:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn - Pakistan",
    "slug": "dawn-pakistan",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2034260/dar-says-makkah-defence-pact-committee-to-meet-next-week-on-houthi-attacks-on-saudi-arabia"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Friday that the Makkah Defence Alliance's Strategic Political Defence Committee (SPDC) will convene in Riyadh next week to discuss the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. Dar made this statement during a press briefing about the Pakistan delegation's participation in the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, along with high-level meetings held in the city. The SPDC, established under the \"Makkah Accord\", consists of representatives from each signatory nation, including foreign ministers, defence ministers, and chiefs of army staff. At a special meeting of the three army chiefs in Riyadh on September 25, a decision was made to hold the first full SPDC meeting in principle, to be held in Riyadh. The committee will focus on the Houthi attacks, as discussed at the previous foreign ministers' meeting in New York. Dar confirmed that the meeting would occur \"next week\" and that the SPDC's work would be finalized by \"the end of October or beginning of November\". The foreign minister also revealed that at least six countries expressed interest in joining the Makkah defence pact, although this expansion would not be feasible until the agreement is fully operational, which could take up to a year.",
  "summary": "Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday that a meeting of Makkah Defence Alliance’s Strategic Political Defence Committee (SPDC) would take place in Riyadh next week, adding that it would focus on Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia The deputy premier was addressing a press briefing regarding the Pakistan delegation’s engagements at the 81st session of the United Nations…",
  "key_points": [
    "Makkah Defence Committee to meet next week in Riyadh",
    "Focus on Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia",
    "SPDC work to be finalized by early November"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Pakistan foreign minister: Strategic defense committee to meet soon in Riyadh under Mecca Pact",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/pakistan-foreign-minister-strategic-defense-committee-to-meet-soon-in",
        "published": "2026-10-02T12:13:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn - Pakistan",
        "title": "DPM Dar says committee under Makkah pact to meet in Riyadh 'soon'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/dpm-dar-says-committee-under-makkah-pact-to-meet-in-riyadh-soon",
        "published": "2026-10-02T12:26:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Times",
        "title": "Makkah pact committee meeting planned in Riyadh soon",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/makkah-pact-committee-meeting-planned-in-riyadh-soon",
        "published": "2026-10-02T14:38:20.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}