Pakistan will act 'in accordance with' Makkah Defence Agreement, condemns Houthi attacks: FO

Pakistan will play its role “in accordance with the requirements of the agreement”, the Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said on Thursday, referring to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, as Pakistan condemned Houthi attacks targeting civilian and economic sites in Saudi Arabia.

On Tuesday, Houthis attacked the southern Saudi cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, injuring 73 people, according to Saudi authorities. Women and children were among those injured, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said. The attacks also triggered fires at some energy facilities, where operations were subsequently halted as firefighting and emergency teams worked to contain the blazes and assess the damage.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson said during a weekly press briefing that the Makkah agreement was “purely defence-related” and aimed at ensuring regional security through deterrence.

The current agreement includes Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia, which are holding regular meetings and consultations at various levels and remain in continuous contact under the pact, the spokesperson said.

The three countries would first focus on further strengthening their organisation and cooperation, after which the Makkah agreement would be open to countries that shared similar positions, thinking and needs, the spokesperson added.

He further added that Pakistan had strongly condemned the Houthi attacks targeting civilian and economic sites in Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed its “unwavering support” for the kingdom’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and prosperity.

The spokesperson said Pakistan would continue to support efforts promoting lasting peace and stability in the region.

The FO spokesperson said the Makkah agreement was “defensive in nature” and aimed to provide security through “deterrence”. For now, there were no discussions on expanding the agreement, the spokesperson said, adding that the three founding countries were still working out its details.

“Once the basic points of the Makkah agreement are finalised, there will be discussion on its expansion,” the spokesperson said.

The eight countries had categorically rejected any such attempts and warned of their “grave implications” for regional peace and stability, Khan said.

On September 9, the eight foreign ministers welcomed the UK’s decision to ban imports from illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory and restrict related services. They urged the international community to adopt similar measures “in accordance with international law” and reaffirmed support for a two-state solution and an independent Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

On Pakistan’s trade ties with Iran, the Khan said Islamabad would make decisions on trade agreements with Tehran in its “national interest”.

The spokesperson also rejected a Reuters report regarding an alleged warning issued by Pakistan to Iran, calling the report “baseless”.

“For now, there are no discussions between Pakistan and any party on any such proposal or matter,” the spokesperson said.

Read: Pakistan, Muslim nations welcome UK curb on imports from Israeli settlers in occupied Palestine

FO spokesperson also rejected the “false and politically motivated assertions” by India’s Ministry of External Affairs regarding a Hindu temple at Addasiraj, Nowruwan.

“Contrary to India's claims, the temple structure was damaged on July 21 due to torrential rains, following which the authorities surveyed the damage and initiated measures for restoration,” he said.

Pakistan “deplores India's deliberate distortion of facts”, Khan said, accusing New Delhi of attempting to divert attention from its record on the treatment of minorities and attacks on their places of worship.

The spokesperson also condemned the September 5 demolition of a century-old mosque in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

Khan said that the destruction of the historic mosque was “yet another manifestation of the broader Islamophobic and Hindutva-driven campaign targeting Islamic heritage in India”, saying it added to the continued desecration and destruction of places of worship and violations of religious freedoms and cultural heritage.

On Jammu and Kashmir, he said that Pakistan “categorically rejects” India’s “baseless assertions” regarding the status of the disputed territory.

“India's unilateral actions and continued legal occupation cannot alter the internationally recognised disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir,” Khan said.

He said Kashmir remained an unresolved item on the UN Security Council agenda and that its final disposition must be determined through the relevant UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people, expressed through “a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices”.

“The official United Nations maps, which depict Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory, remain the only cartographic representation of its current legal status,” he said.

“India's so-called official maps and unilateral claims of sovereignty have no bearing on the status of the disputed territory,” the spokesperson added.

Responding to a question about an affidavit submitted by Kashmiri Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik in connection with a case dating back to 1990, Khan said Malik’s position was “beyond an action of heroism”.

He described it as “a damning indictment of the Indian judicial system”, which he said had been used as a tool by the Indian government to suppress Kashmiris and deny them access to justice.

“By repudiating his right to defence, Yasin Malik has struck a stinging blow to the judicial sham that the Indian government wanted to stage in its sinister campaign to malign the Kashmiri leadership,” Khan said.

He said Malik’s deteriorating health was “very well documented” and a matter of concern, urging the international community not to allow his life and well-being to be used to advance what he described as India’s “oppressive occupation” of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

“Pakistan condemns and categorically rejects this persecution of Yasin Malik,” he said, urging the UN and other human rights and humanitarian bodies to take cognisance of Malik’s situation, his health and the denial of fundamental rights in IIOJK.

“Pakistan will continue to raise his case and the human rights situation in IIOJK and all other international forums,” Khan said.

He added that the right of Kashmiris to self-determination, as enshrined in UN Security Council resolutions, “cannot be diminished by Indian state oppression”.

Read More: FM Dar, Fidan reaffirm Palestine stance, back measures against illegal Israeli settlements

During the weekly briefing, he said that on Thursday morning, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM and Foreign Minister (FM) Ishaq Dar spoke with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, to review bilateral relations and regional developments.

“They reaffirmed their shared position on Palestine, support for recent international measures against illegal Israeli settlements and a two-state solution,” Khan said.

The two foreign ministers also agreed to maintain close regional consultations through the R4 framework and to meet on the sidelines of the forthcoming UN General Assembly in New York, he added.

He further mentioned that FM Dar had also spoken with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on September 6, discussing bilateral relations, regional and international developments and follow-up on understandings reached under the Strategic, Political and Defence Committee of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

His conversation with the Egyptian foreign minister covered “matters related to further strengthening of bilateral ties”, with the two sides agreeing to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Khan said.

FM Dar also spoke with the Norwegian foreign minister on September 6 and conveyed his “heartfelt condolences” over the passing of King Harald V, extending Pakistan’s sympathies to the Royal Family and the people of Norway, he added.

Khan said that on September 7, he spoke with Kuwait’s foreign minister, with the two sides discussing bilateral relations, cooperation in areas of mutual interest and regional developments. They also agreed to meet in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

FM Dar again spoke with his Egyptian counterpart on September 9, discussing national and regional developments and agreeing to maintain “close consultations”, including through the R4, the Regional Four Foreign Ministers Group, Khan added.

On September 3, FM Dar had held a telephone conversation with the newly elected OIC secretary general and reaffirmed Pakistan’s “strong commitment to the OIC and to advancing the interest of Muslim Ummah, particularly on Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir,” Khan said.

The secretary general appreciated Pakistan’s support and role in the OIC, Khan said.

FO spokesperson said on September 4, Ambassador Ullara Udunu, a candidate for UN secretary-general, accompanied by the special envoy of the president of Uganda, called on Dar and the foreign minister. They exchanged views on “global developments and challenges facing multilateralism”.

Khan said FM Dar had reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to multilateralism and stressed the need to strengthen the United Nations’ role in addressing contemporary challenges.

Also read: Pakistan reiterates support for Saudi Arabia, backs kingdom's right to defend territory after Houthi attacks

He further added that Pakistan also dispatched 100 tonnes of humanitarian assistance to Nepal on September 6, at the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, following devastating floods and landslides. The relief goods included tents, blankets, mats, hygiene kits and medicines.

The prime minister had visited the Embassy of Nepal on September 4 and signed the condolence book for those killed in the floods and landslides, while expressing Pakistan’s commitment to supporting Nepal’s relief and recovery efforts, he said 

FM Dar visited the embassy on September 5, conveyed his condolences and wished a speedy recovery to those injured and safety for those missing, Khan said.

During the briefing, the FO spokesperson said that Pakistan will host the 14th South Asian Games from April 4 to 11, 2027, with competitions to be held across Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The eight-day event will feature 28 sports and is expected to attract more than 6,000 athletes and officials from across South Asia.

On Afghanistan, Khan said Pakistan had hosted millions of Afghan citizens for four decades, with around 4.5 million Afghans living in the country at its peak. Pakistan had provided Afghan citizens space in its “homes, offices, sports grounds and other places”, he said, adding that a large number had returned following the repatriation process for illegal foreigners.

More than one million Afghan citizens were still living in different parts of Pakistan, while the exact number would be provided later, Khan said. Pakistan wanted a “peaceful and stable Afghanistan” and good, friendly relations with its neighbour, he said.

Preventing terrorism coming from Afghanistan into Pakistan was a “fundamental requirement” for better relations between the two countries, Khan said.

“Terrorists coming from Afghan soil into Pakistan” were present in different areas and were receiving funding from Afghanistan and other countries, including India, he said. Pakistan was “not asking Afghanistan for anything more”, Khan said, adding that the two neighbouring countries had to live alongside each other.

Pakistan had made “many sacrifices” for the Afghan cause and had also provided extensive support, he said. He further added that Pakistan had provided educational opportunities to thousands of Afghan students, with more than 6,000 Afghan students having studied in the country.

Pakistan had also built roads and bridges in Afghanistan, established universities and set up a hospital, he said. “If there is reciprocal goodwill from Afghanistan, cooperation and a friendly environment can be restored,” Khan said.

FO spokesperson Khan, during question hour, clarified that a statement regarding the Punjab chief minister had been "misquoted."

Khan said Pakistan’s position was that Afghan territory was being used for terrorism. “The Punjab government spokesperson has clarified the matter,” Khan said.

Responding to a question about China’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI), Khan described it as President Xi Jinping’s “visionary initiative” and a “shining manifestation of Chinese wisdom”.

“Since the launch of this landmark initiative last September, Pakistan has been at the forefront of its support for the GGI, describing it as a global public good that seeks to promote justice, equity, and inclusion in international relations,” he said.

He said multilateralism, with the United Nations at its core, was the “central theme” of the initiative, adding that nearly 160 countries and international organisations had expressed support for it and more than 60 countries had joined the Friends of Global Governance.

Khan said the International Organisation for Mediation had commenced official operations, while the World Data Organisation and World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisations had also been established.

“These milestones fully demonstrate the strong vitality and appeal of this initiative,” he said.

“Pakistan has always supported and actively implemented the Global Governance Initiative,” Khan said, adding that Islamabad was ready to work with China and other countries to make “deeper and more substantive advances” in implementing it.