Khawaja Asif says time has come to implement Makkah Agreement
“Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said Pakistan will fulfil its commitments under the Makkah Agreement amid heightened security concerns following a reported Houthi drone attack near Makkah. Speaking d…”
Speaking during a private television programme, the defence minister said the circumstances had reached a stage where the agreement needed to be put into effect. He maintained that Pakistan’s responsibility to safeguard the holy sites existed regardless of any formal agreement, saying the country would protect Makkah if it came under attack.
The minister’s comments came after Saudi authorities reported intercepting and destroying a Houthi drone south of Makkah before it could enter restricted airspace over the holy city. A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said the incident took place on Tuesday evening and marked the second reported attempt by the Houthis to target Makkah.
The Houthis have rejected the allegation. Their spokesman, Yahya Saree, said the group’s operations were aimed at Saudi oil facilities and military installations located away from the sacred sites. Asif said if tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis intensified and the conflict expanded, Pakistan and Turkiye would stand with Saudi Arabia both diplomatically and practically.
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Commenting on Iran’s position, he said it would not be a wise course for Tehran to take sides if the Houthis continued attacks against Saudi Arabia. He added that the possibility of Iran opening another front was also very low.
Asif said Pakistan had already conveyed its message, while Saudi Arabia had also informed the country about the situation. He noted that Iran’s relations with the United States and Israel were already facing a sensitive and uncertain situation in the Gulf.
In such circumstances, he said, opening or expanding another front would not be a prudent approach. The defence minister stressed that the situation should not be allowed to escalate further or develop into a wider regional conflict.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also reaffirmed Islamabad’s support for Riyadh and condemned the reported attempted attack on the Holy Site of Makkah Al-Mukarramah. He called on all sides to show restraint and avoid actions that could further widen the conflict, stressing that dialogue and diplomatic efforts offered a sustainable way to address regional tensions.
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