{
  "id": 8163763,
  "title": "Pakistan says time has come to implement Mecca defence pact",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/pakistan-says-time-has-come-to-implement-mecca-defence-pact",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-18T03:23:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Middle East Eye",
    "slug": "middle-east-eye",
    "url": "https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/pakistan-says-time-has-come-implement-mecca-defence-pact-0"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has stated that the time has come to implement the Mecca defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, amid intensifying Houthi attacks on the kingdom. According to Asif, Pakistan remains committed to defending Saudi Arabia and the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and considers it a duty to protect them, with or without the agreement.\n\nThe Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed in 2026 by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, is a collective defence pact that commits each nation to treat an attack against one as an attack against all. Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, Sajjad Haider Khan, has also reaffirmed the country's commitment to implementing the agreement, while emphasising the need for discretion regarding operational details.\n\nPakistan has conveyed a Saudi message to Iran, detailing concerns over Houthi attacks, and continues to advocate for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve differences and prevent further escalation. The country remains concerned over the continuing escalation and its implications for regional peace, security, and global energy supplies.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Pakistan says time has come to implement Mecca defence pact",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/pakistan-says-time-has-come-to-implement-mecca-defence-pact-8052834",
        "published": "2026-09-17T15:25:57.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}