Pakistan, Saudi Arabia clear pact steps as Houthi fire continues

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have finished their own approval procedures for a joint defence agreement signed in Mecca on 7 August, while Houthi missiles and drones continue to strike Saudi territory. Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan announced the completion on Friday, and a transcript was released by the Foreign Office.

The agreement covers Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and it was signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It commits the three states to collective defence if any one of them faces an external armed attack, with the level of assistance set according to the circumstances. Pakistan has called the pact defensive and consistent with the UN Charter.

Turkey has not completed its domestic approval process, so no ratification by all three signatories has taken place. Khan said the three parties continue to discuss the agreement, its ratification and its operationalisation.

The pact moved closer to implementation after a 5 October meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee. The meeting called for collective defence commitments to be carried out and for military forces and capabilities to be deployed rapidly in Saudi Arabia, subject to each country's domestic laws.

Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence issued warnings this week about possible danger in parts of the kingdom, including Abha and Khamis Mushait in the southwest, then said the danger had passed. Authorities did not identify the threat, and advised residents to follow safety instructions and to avoid gathering or filming in the affected areas, according to Anadolu Agency.

Reuters reported on 21 October that Riyadh's allies were mainly offering defensive support as the kingdom worked to shield its infrastructure from further strikes. The Israeli military announced exercises for Sunday and Monday involving the air force and units from the Northern and Central Commands, rehearsing surprise air and land attacks and infiltrations. On Friday, President Trump said the United States might carry out another military operation against Iran as the conflict nears its eighth month.