Pakistan says no military response discussed under Mecca pact over Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

Live updates

1. 3d ago

   Pakistan Rules Out Military Action Under Mecca Pact Against Houthis

   Pakistan has stated that no military response was discussed under the Mecca pact regarding Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The Pakistani Foreign Office describes the alliance with Saudi Arabia and Turkey as defensive in nature and maintains that there are currently no plans to expand the group. While some analysts view the pact as a regional security shift or a Muslim equivalent to NATO, Pakistan continues to position itself as a mediator amid escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthi forces.

   Why it matters

   The Mecca pact is a security agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. It creates a minilateral defense framework intended to address regional threats. Its effectiveness is currently being tested by Houthi aggression in the Arabian Peninsula.

   What is confirmed

   • Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are members of the Mecca pact.
   • The Pakistani Foreign Office describes the Mecca pact as defensive in nature.
   • Pakistan has no current plans to expand the alliance with Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The Mecca pact is viewed by some as a Muslim version of NATO.
   • The pact is forcing India to rethink its regional security equation.
   • The pact faces a credibility gap.

   What to watch next

   • Official statements on whether the pact will evolve if Houthi attacks escalate
   • Evidence of the pact's operational coordination during regional crises
   • Diplomatic shifts in Pakistan's mediation role between Saudi Arabia and Iran
   Sources used for this update (13)

   1. Reuters — Pakistan says no military response discussed under Mecca pact over Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia
   2. War on the Rocks — The Mecca Pact’s Credibility Gap
   3. The Jerusalem Post — Turkey, Saudi, Pakistani pact forces India to rethink regional security equation
   4. The Times of Israel — Pakistan says there are no plans to expand ‘defensive’ alliance with Turkey, Saudi Arabia
   5. Jacobin — Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan Now Have Their Own NATO
   6. Daily Sabah — Bangladesh and Mecca pact: Redrawing South Asia’s security geography
   7. Newsweek — The New ‘Muslim NATO’ Faces First Major Test
   8. geopoliticalmonitor.com — Challenging Pakistan’s ‘Peacemaker’ Narrative in the Iran War
   9. Dawn — FO says Makkah defence pact 'defensive' in nature, expansion currently 'not on the cards'
   10. yahoo.com — Analysis-As Saudi tensions with Iran-backed Houthis escalate, mediator Pakistan faces pressure to choose a side
   11. Iran International — Pakistan says no plans to expand defensive alliance with Saudi Arabia, Turkey
   12. Gulf International Forum — Riyadh Shifts Toward Minilateralism as Regional Threats Mount
   confidence 90%