Pakistan says time has come to implement Mecca defence pact

Pakistan says time has come to implement Mecca defence pact Pakistan’s defence minister has said the time has come to implement the Mecca defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey as Houthi attacks on the kingdom intensify. Speaking to Geo News on Wednesday, Khawaja Asif said Pakistan remained committed to defending Saudi Arabia and the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, adding that Islamabad had a duty to protect them even without the agreement. “Makkah Agreement applies to us, and we will fulfil our duty,” said Asif without elaborating on what Pakistan may do. Houthi officials have denied targeting the holy city. "Our operations target its [Saudi] oil facilities and military bases, which are far removed from the sacred sites," Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said. Read more: Pakistan says time has come to implement Mecca defence pact Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif attends the Defence Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in eastern China's Shandong province on June 26, 2025. (Pedro Padro/AFP)