Pakistan-Saudi defence pact raises risk of Islamabad being drawn into Middle East conflict

Pakistan’s defence commitments to Saudi Arabia are facing their biggest test as fighting between Riyadh and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels raises fears that Islamabad could be drawn deeper into the Middle East conflict.

While Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a strategic mutual defence agreement in 2025. The latter states that an armed attack against any one of the three countries is to be regarded as an attack against all.

Pakistan’s army has said it will defend Saudi Arabia if necessary. Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the military’s media wing chief, said Islamabad would support the kingdom “to any extent” and stressed that Pakistani forces were already deployed there.

The comments come as Houthi attacks on Saudi cities and energy infrastructure have stepped up. The escalation is testing Pakistan’s ability to uphold its defence partnership with Riyadh while also acting as a diplomatic channel with Tehran, Reuters said.

Earlier this month, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said it was not discussing any military response under the Mecca pact at that time, but spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said Islamabad would act “when the time comes.”

Pakistan also has sought to play the role of mediator in the wider regional crisis.