Pakistan Confirms No Military Response Discussions on Houthis, No Expansion for Mecca Pact

Pakistan affirmed on Thursday that there are currently no ongoing discussions regarding a military response on its part to Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement. Islamabad concurrently stressed that it "will act" when "the time is right." During a weekly press conference held in Islamabad, Spokesperson for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, Sajjad Haider Khan, responding to a question about how his country would fulfill its commitments under the agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, stated: "There is no discussion on this matter currently... When the time comes, we will act under the agreement." The pact, signed last month by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, stipulates that any armed attack on one of the three nations shall be considered an aggression against all of them. Khan clarified that the Mecca Agreement represents a "defense framework," underscoring that there are no current plans to expand its scope to include additional countries. He added that the agreement aims to bolster defense and security cooperation among the three nations and support peace and stability efforts in the region.