ROME: Pakistan has pledged to use “whatever means are available” to defend Saudi Arabia against Iran-backed Houthi rebels, with Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif signalling that Islamabad could become more directly involved in the widening regional conflict.
Speaking on Tuesday, Asif emphasised Pakistan’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security, declaring that any threat to the kingdom would also be regarded as a threat to Pakistan.
“Any enemy of Saudi Arabia is enemy of Pakistan. That should be very clear,” the defence minister said.
Asif did not confirm whether Pakistani forces had already participated in air strikes against Houthi targets.
He maintained, however, that Pakistan’s military capabilities would be available for Saudi Arabia’s defence under a new mutual defence pact involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
The remarks represent a strong public statement of Islamabad’s security commitment to Riyadh at a time of heightened regional tensions involving Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis.
While Asif left unanswered the question of whether Pakistani forces had already taken part in military operations, his comments indicated that Islamabad views its defence commitments to Saudi Arabia as extending to the use of available military capabilities if required under the new arrangement.
