Pakistan Says Time Has Come to Implement Mecca Defence Pact

Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated on Wednesday that the time has come to implement the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, citing recent Houthi attacks on the kingdom. The pact, signed on August 7, 2026, establishes that an armed attack on one member will be treated as an attack on all three. Speaking to Geo News, Asif affirmed Pakistan's commitment to defending Saudi Arabia and the holy sites of Mecca and Medina. "The Makkah Agreement applies to us, and we will fulfil our duty," he said, adding that protecting the holy places is a religious obligation even without a formal agreement. Asif indicated the situation may already meet the pact's activation threshold, stating, "I think that situation has already arrived." The comments followed an incident on Tuesday in which Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered prohibited airspace. The Saudi-led coalition declared the security of the holy sites a "red line." Houthi officials denied targeting Mecca, stating their operations focus on Saudi oil facilities and military bases.