Will Pakistan send troops to Saudi Arabia? Mecca defence pact faces first big test after Houthi attacks

Could Pakistan send troops to defend Saudi Arabia after Houthi attacks? Here's what the Makkah defence pact says and what Pakistan's military has revealed.

Will Pakistan have to send troops to defend Saudi Arabia if Houthi attacks continue? The question is now hanging over the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed barely a month ago by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. The August 7 agreement contains a major commitment, i.e., an armed attack against one member will be treated as an attack against all three. But Pakistan's military has stopped short of publicly explaining whether that promise could mean Pakistani soldiers entering combat.

Also Read: Whodunit 1,100 km From Yemen: Who Launched the Makkah Drone Strike?

What Pakistan Army said

Speaking to Al Arabiya English, Pakistan military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry described the agreement as a defensive arrangement aimed at deterring attacks.

"It is defensive. There's nothing aggressive. There are no regional aspirations. It is collective deterrence," Chaudhry said.

But when questioned about how the three countries would respond to an attack, he drew a line between the public commitment and its operational details.

"What you're asking is the 'how' part, how we are going to defend against aggression," he said.

That leaves one question unanswered is that what happens if Saudi Arabia formally seeks military assistance?

Pakistan has not announced any combat deployment against the Houthis. Islamabad has also not publicly detailed whether assistance under the pact could involve troops, air defence, intelligence or other military support.

Why Houthi attacks matter now

The uncertainty has gained attention as Saudi Arabia faces renewed drone and missile attacks linked to Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement.

Saudi forces said this week that they intercepted a drone south of Makkah before it entered restricted airspace. Riyadh blamed the Houthis and called the safety of Makkah a "red line".

The Houthis denied targeting Makkah or other religious sites, though they have claimed responsibility for other recent attacks inside Saudi Arabia.

The attacks have turned what was largely a diplomatic defence commitment into a test of how the pact could work during an actual security crisis.

Could Pakistani troops enter the conflict?

Pakistan has faced this question before. In 2015, its parliament unanimously backed neutrality in the Yemen conflict and rejected joining the Saudi-led military campaign against the Houthis. Lawmakers still pledged support for Saudi Arabia's territorial integrity.

The Makkah agreement introduces a new factor because Islamabad has now formally accepted a mutual-defence commitment with Riyadh and Ankara.

Any direct Pakistani military involvement could also complicate relations with neighbouring Iran, which backs the Houthis and shares a long border with Pakistan.

Pakistan's military has rejected suggestions that the agreement is aimed at Iran, China or any other country. Chaudhry has described the pact as "complementary" to Pakistan's existing relationships.

For now, there is no public indication that Pakistani combat troops are heading to Saudi Arabia.

But if attacks on the Kingdom continue, Islamabad may face a question the agreement itself does not publicly answer, i.e., exactly how far will Pakistan go to defend Saudi Arabia?

Also Read: 'Deeply concerned': India condemns drone attack near Makkah, calls for peace in region

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