Makkah Defence Alliance Calls Emergency Riyadh Meeting Over Houthi Attacks
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have agreed to hold an emergency meeting of the Makkah Defence Alliance’s Strategic Political and Defence Committee in Riyadh next week as the three countries assess escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced the meeting during a press conference in Islamabad, saying the committee would examine the situation facing Saudi Arabia and review current security conditions.
The talks will particularly focus on attacks targeting Saudi territory, including civilian and economic infrastructure.
The emergency session comes as the three countries accelerate implementation of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on August 7.
The pact establishes a collective-defence framework under which an armed attack against one member is treated as an attack against all three.
The upcoming session follows consultations between Dar, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September.
Military chiefs from the three countries subsequently met in Riyadh on September 25 to assess threats facing Saudi Arabia and discuss intelligence sharing, military coordination and greater integration of defence capabilities.
The latest diplomatic activity has gained urgency following a series of attacks attributed by Saudi authorities to Yemen’s Houthis, including a recent strike on a power distribution facility in Madinah. The Houthis have denied responsibility for the Madinah attack.
Dar also said he had discussed the regional situation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
He said Tehran favoured political engagement with the Houthis rather than military action. Whether such an approach could play a role in resolving the crisis is expected to form part of wider discussions among the alliance members.
The emergency meeting comes as the Makkah Defence Alliance develops its permanent institutional structure.
A secretariat is being established in Riyadh, with retired Pakistani Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood appointed as its first secretary general.
Dar also said more than six countries had expressed interest in joining the defence framework, but indicated that expansion would not be considered until its institutional mechanisms were fully operational.
Pakistan has maintained that the alliance is defensive in nature and intended to strengthen collective deterrence and regional stability.
No decision on specific military deployments or direct action against the Houthis has been announced ahead of the emergency meeting.
