Saudi attacks put Pakistan’s Makkah defence commitment to test

Saudi Arabia’s escalating confrontation with Houthi forces in Yemen is putting Pakistan’s commitment to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement to its first major test, as Islamabad faces pressure to demonstrate how far it is prepared to go under a pact that treats an armed attack on one member as an attack on all.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, committing the three countries to strengthen collective deterrence and defence cooperation. The agreement stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three states would be regarded as an attack against all.

The pact is now being tested by intensified Houthi attacks against Saudi cities, energy infrastructure and other targets, with Riyadh seeking military assistance from several partners as the conflict threatens to widen.

Pakistan has so far stopped short of announcing direct military action. Foreign Ministry spokesman Sajjad Haider Khan said on September 10 that no immediate military response under the Makkah agreement had been discussed, while reaffirming Islamabad’s support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security.

The position reflects the delicate balance confronting Islamabad. Pakistan wants to reassure Riyadh that its defence commitment is meaningful without being drawn into a wider Middle Eastern conflict or damaging its relations with Iran.

The Foreign Office subsequently said Pakistan remained committed, “in intent and spirit”, to implementing both its bilateral Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and the trilateral Makkah Defence Alliance.

Pakistan’s position also has a precedent. In 2015, when Saudi Arabia sought Pakistani military participation in its campaign against Houthi forces in Yemen, Pakistan’s parliament backed neutrality in the conflict while affirming its commitment to defend Saudi Arabia if the Kingdom’s territorial integrity or holy sites were threatened.

That distinction remains significant in the current crisis: Islamabad has historically differentiated between defending Saudi territory and participating in Saudi-led military operations outside the Kingdom.

The Makkah agreement, however, has given that relationship a more formal collective-defence dimension.

Its stated purpose is to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression, while Pakistan has described the accord as defensive and consistent with the right of individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

The challenge is determining what would trigger an operational response.

The agreement does not publicly specify the military measures that would automatically follow an attack on one of its members. Pakistan’s Foreign Office has also described the Makkah arrangement as an umbrella agreement requiring additional mechanisms and frameworks before it becomes fully operational.

That uncertainty has become more consequential as Saudi Arabia seeks additional defensive support.

Türkiye has publicly indicated that it could help meet Saudi military requirements under the pact, with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan saying Ankara was prepared to provide technical military assistance while also advocating diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

Saudi Arabia has also approached Western and regional partners. Britain has agreed to provide limited air-to-air refuelling support for Saudi aircraft following a request from Riyadh, while the United States has so far stopped short of direct military intervention.

The growing international involvement reflects the wider implications of the conflict. Attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and threats to shipping around the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab have raised concerns about energy supplies, maritime security and global trade.

For Pakistan, the stakes extend beyond its relationship with Saudi Arabia. Islamabad maintains important ties with Iran and has repeatedly supported diplomatic efforts to stabilise Yemen. Direct military involvement against the Houthis could therefore complicate its relations with Tehran and expose Pakistan to the wider consequences of the regional conflict.

At the same time, Saudi Arabia remains a longstanding Pakistani security and economic partner. Pakistani military personnel have historically provided training and other security assistance in the Kingdom, making the current crisis a significant test of the depth of that relationship.

The Makkah agreement also involves Türkiye, a NATO member, creating a separate set of questions about how Ankara would reconcile its obligations under the trilateral pact with its existing commitments and consultations within the Atlantic alliance.

The immediate issue, however, remains Pakistan.

As attacks on Saudi Arabia continue and Riyadh seeks greater military assistance, Islamabad is being confronted with the practical meaning of its commitment under the Makkah agreement.

The agreement says an attack on one member is an attack on all. The unfolding crisis is now testing how that principle translates from a declaration of collective deterrence into an actual military response.