Pakistan pledges full committment to defence of Saudi Arabia
Assurance comes amid questions over Pakistan and Turkiye's stance on Riyadh's fight with Houthis following defence pact.
A senior officer from Pakistan’s military has pledged that his country will defend Saudi Arabia against aggression “to any extent”.
Lieutenant-General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director-general of the Pakistani military’s media wing, told the Saudi newspaper Arab News on Thursday that Islamabad stands with Saudi Arabia diplomatically and physically.
The promise comes as questions swirl about the stance of Pakistan and Turkiye – both of which signed defence pacts with Riyadh recently – as Yemen’s Houthis intensify their attacks on Saudi Arabia.
However, Pakistan and Turkiye are also anxious to remain mediators in the conflicts roiling the Middle East, and are therefore believed to be unenthusiastic about direct involvement in hostilities.