ISLAMABAD: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said Pakistan’s government would evaluate any formal request for military support from Yemen’s internationally recognised government amid escalating Houthi attacks in the region.
Speaking to Independent Arabia on Sunday, Chaudhry said he was unaware of any formal request from Yemen.
“I think not in my knowledge that there has been any formal request. If there is any request, then that is for the government of Pakistan to evaluate that and respond to that,” he said.
The military spokesperson also warned that the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA) could activate its collective deterrence provisions if negotiations fail and the regional situation escalates into military conflict.
“If we are unable to come to a negotiated outcome and we turn into a military conflict, then this instrument of collective deterrence of the Makkah alliance will definitely come into play, as it is coming into play,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said.
Pakistan Reaffirms Support for Saudi Arabia
Chaudhry said the defence agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye had advanced significantly in a short period. He added that the pact reflected the combined strategic thinking of the three countries.
The three regional powers signed the MJDA on August 7 during the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence.
Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack against all three.
The ISPR chief said Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity remained a foremost priority for Pakistan. He also stressed the importance of protecting Islam’s two holiest sites.
Chaudhry described Pakistan’s position as clear and unequivocal. He said the country’s political and military leadership had already conveyed its message.
Houthi Attacks Raise Regional Security Concerns
The remarks come amid renewed fighting involving the Saudi-led coalition and Yemen’s Houthi movement, which controls the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country’s north.
The supplied report says Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and other targets have intensified in recent weeks, adding another front to the wider US-Israeli war on Iran.
It also reports attacks targeting Riyadh’s international airport, Makkah and Madina. However, the report provides no further details about the incidents.
The collapse of a truce has also raised concerns about the strategic Bab el-Mandeb shipping route, a key passage for global maritime trade and energy shipments.
According to Chaudhry, reported attacks on Islam’s holiest sites have caused deep grief and anger among the public and Pakistan’s political and military leadership.
ISPR Chief Calls for Negotiated Settlement
Chaudhry warned that escalating military tensions would benefit no country. He said expanding the conflict across the Middle East was not in anyone’s interest and called for a negotiated settlement.
He also clarified that the Makkah alliance had no aggressive intentions and was not directed against any particular country.
The military spokesperson urged Muslim countries to maintain unity and resolve regional differences through dialogue rather than confrontation.
He reiterated that the alliance aimed to promote peace, stability and security across the region, stressing that negotiations should take precedence over further military escalation.
