ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has declared that any threat to Saudi Arabia would be regarded as a threat to Pakistan, saying Islamabad is committed to defending the kingdom against the Houthis or any other force.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Asif said Pakistan had “absolutely no doubt” that the Houthis were committing aggression against Saudi Arabia and that Islamabad would support Riyadh in any conflict threatening its security.
“We are there to help Saudi Arabia in any conflict, whether it is coming from Houthis or a country or any other outfit which threatens Saudi Arabia’s security, we’ll be there to defend them,” he said.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif says Islamabad will make “whatever means” available to Saudi Arabia under a new mutual defence pact if Riyadh faces threats from the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. pic.twitter.com/Qvb9GXTgbT
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 30, 2026
‘Enemy Of Pakistan’
Asif made Pakistan’s position particularly clear when discussing threats against the kingdom.
“Any enemy of Saudi Arabia is enemy of Pakistan. That should be very clear,” he said.
He said Pakistan’s commitment meant that whatever means were available to Islamabad would also be available to Saudi Arabia.
“When I say that we are bound by this arrangement to defend Saudi Arabia, that means whatever means are available at our disposal, they’ll be available to Saudi Arabia also,” he said.
Houthis And Iran
Addressing the Houthis, Asif said Pakistan regarded the group as an adversary of Saudi Arabia.
“As for Houthis are concerned, they are enemies of Saudi Arabia,” he said.
He also rejected the idea that Iran necessarily regards the Houthis as its proxy.
“And Iranians are not accepting them as their proxy,” Asif said.
The minister said proxy groups could eventually develop their own agendas and become independent of those that initially supported them.
“Some of these proxies, they become rogue,” he said, adding that such groups could multiply and evolve into independent entities.
Asif’s remarks underline Pakistan’s stated commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security under the defence arrangement between the two countries.
His comments came days after the army chiefs of Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia met in Riyadh to discuss responses to Houthi attacks.
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, declaring that an attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all three. The countries have described the pact as defensive and said it is not directed against any particular state.
