{
  "id": 7817906,
  "title": "‘No aggressive element’: Pakistan on defence pact with Saudi Arabia amid Houthi strikes on Mecca",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/no-aggressive-element-pakistan-on-defence-pact-with-saudi-arabia-amid",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-16T15:40:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times - World News",
    "slug": "hindustan-times-world-news",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/no-aggressive-element-pakistan-on-defence-pact-with-saudi-arabia-amid-houthi-strikes-on-mecca-101789567963261.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pakistan has clarified its stance on the defense pact with both Saudi Arabia and Turkey amid the ongoing conflict in Yemen. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Army, stated that the defense pact \"has no aggressive element\" and is based on \"collective deterrence,\" describing it as \"purely defensive.\" The Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have been accused of targeting the holy city of Mecca, triggering outrage across the Muslim world. However, the Houthi military spokesperson denied these claims, calling the Saudi reports a propaganda setup. The Pakistan Army spokesperson emphasized that the defense pact was not forged \"out of the blue\" but rather based on decades-old strategic relationships between the nations.",
  "summary": "Underscoring the agreement under the pact which was made public, Pakistan said a “simple reading” shows that the alliance “is based on collective deterrence.”",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Saudi Gazette",
        "title": "School fitness screenings completed for new students across Saudi Arabia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/school-fitness-screenings-completed-for-new-students-across-saudi",
        "published": "2026-09-16T14:07:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}