Pakistan’s military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry
His remarks came after Saudi Arabia reported intercepting a Houthi drone near Mecca earlier this week.
“We will go to any extent for the security of (the two holy sanctuaries) and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he said. Riyadh said the drone was destroyed south of the holy city before entering prohibited airspace. Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif had earlier said there was “absolutely no ambiguity” over Islamabad’s obligations under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye last month. He said Pakistan’s responsibility to protect the Muslim holy sites existed independently of the agreement. Asif said the agreement provides for collective defence if the territorial integrity or geographical boundaries of any of its three signatories are violated.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, however, rejected the allegation that the group had targeted Islamic holy sites, saying its operations were directed at Saudi oil facilities and military bases. He declined to disclose details of Pakistan’s potential military response, saying such matters would not be discussed publicly. In an interview with Arab News on Thursday, Pakistan’s military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Islamabad remained committed to Saudi Arabia’s security. Speaking to Geo News on Wednesday, Asif said, “Mecca Agreement applies to us, and we will fulfil our duty.