ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is prepared to take “all necessary defensive measures” to defend Saudi Arabia, the country’s military spokesman has said. He described Islamabad’s commitment to the Kingdom’s security as “absolute and non-negotiable.”
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry made the remarks in an interview with the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, reported by Pakistani and Saudi-focused outlets on November 12.
Chaudhry said Pakistan’s readiness rests on the Joint Strategic Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA), which also includes Türkiye. He said the MJDA’s move into the practical implementation phase of its collective defence commitments would require measures for the rapid deployment of agreed forces and capabilities inside Saudi Arabia.
According to the spokesman, those measures include raising readiness levels, strengthening military integration, sharing intelligence and coordinating exclusively defensive operations.
He said Pakistani troops are already present in the Kingdom, mainly providing defensive support and taking part in exercises and manoeuvres. Islamabad would continue to provide required defensive support, he added, including personnel, military capabilities, training and logistical assistance.
Chaudhry described both agreements as “purely defensive” and said neither carries offensive intent against any country. He said the shift to implementation followed recent attacks on Saudi Arabia that had caused deep concern in Pakistan. Reports of the interview also say he condemned attacks on Saudi airports, urban centres and civilian and economic infrastructure.
Background to the Makkah Pact
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the MJDA in Makkah on August 7, 2026. It commits the three countries to treat an armed attack on one as an attack on all. It builds on a bilateral Pakistan–Saudi defence agreement signed in September 2025.
On October 5, the three countries agreed at a meeting in Riyadh to activate collective deterrence measures in response to attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthis. Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman announced the decision. A joint statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the allies would provide agreed forces and ensure their rapid deployment.
Türkiye’s parliament ratified the pact on November 5, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera noted, however, that it is not certain Turkish troops will be deployed to Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis have escalated their attacks on the Kingdom in recent months, Al Jazeera reported, including deadly strikes on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
