Houthi attacks expose gaps in Pakistan's defence pact with Saudi Arabia

Pakistan recently signed a trilateral defence pact with Saudi Arabia, marking a major milestone in its expanding diplomacy following its role as a regional mediator facilitating talks between Washington and Tehran. However, recent Houthi attacks have served as the first test for the agreement.

According to reports published on September 14, 2026, and authored by Zia Ur Rehman, the attacks have exposed gaps in the bilateral arrangement. Specifically, the incident revealed a distance between the collective defence promises outlined in the Mecca agreement and the current lack of concrete military plans among the allies.