PM condemns 'dastardly and heinous' attempted drone attack on Makkah, reaffirms support for Saudi Arabia

DPM Dar says attack a provocative act that gravely offended the religious sentiments of Muslims worldwide

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday condemned a 'dastardly and heinous' attempted Houthi drone attack on Makkah, saying Pakistan stood firmly with Saudi Arabia in protecting its sovereignty and the sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain.

"I condemn in the strongest possible terms the dastardly and heinous attempted drone attack against the Holy Site of Makkah Al-Mukarramah. Pakistan stands unwaveringly, shoulder to shoulder with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for the security and sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain - a duty that every Pakistani carries close to their heart," said PM Shehbaz in a statement on X.

The statement came after Saudi Arabia's air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Makkah on Tuesday before ​it entered prohibited airspace over the holy city, while the Saudi-led coalition said the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims was a “red line,” vowing that the coalition would take measures to deter further attacks.

Expressing solidarity with the kingdom, PM Shehbaz said that the people of Pakistan were saddened and perturbed by this outrageous act, adding that, "There can be no words strong enough to capture the depth of anguish and sorrow felt by us at this reprehensible and unforgivable act."

The prime minister praised the Saudi forces for their response, saying Pakistan “salute the extraordinary vigilance, courage, and professionalism of the Royal Saudi Armed Forces” for their “swift and heroic action”.

The premier also called on all sides to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation.

“I once again call upon all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to step back from the brink of further escalation. Our region has already suffered far too much from conflict. Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only sustainable path towards peace,” the prime minister added.

I condemn in the strongest possible terms the dastardly and heinous attempted drone attack against the Holy Site of Makkah Al-Mukarramah.

The people of Pakistan are saddened and perturbed by this outrageous act. There can be no words strong enough to capture the depth of…

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) September 16, 2026

Political leadership condemns attack

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also condemned the “reprehensible” Houthi drone attack targeting the holy city of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, saying Pakistan stood firmly with Saudi Arabia in protecting the sanctity and security of the Two Holy Mosques.

I strongly condemn the reprehensible drone attack, targeting the Holy City of Makkah Al-Mukarramah. pic.twitter.com/N4cUpNzpe9

— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) September 16, 2026

In a statement, DPM Dar said the attack was “a provocative act” that violated Saudi Arabia’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity”, and “gravely offended the religious sentiments of Muslims worldwide”.

He said the attack also threatened regional peace and security.

“Pakistan stands firmly with the leadership and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in safeguarding the sanctity and security of the Two Holy Mosques, the Haramain Sharifain, and ensuring the safety of pilgrims, citizens and residents,” Dar said.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also denounced the "dastardly and heinous attempted drone attack" on Makkah.

In a statement issued on X, the minister said, "This was not merely an attack on Saudi Arabia. It was an attack on the heart of Islam and on the sentiments of Muslims across the world, who revere Makkah as the holiest city."

"Targeting the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the focal point of Hajj is a cowardly, terrorist act that crosses every red line," he added.

In line with the premier's statement, Asif expressed that Pakistan stood unwaveringly, shoulder to shoulder, with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and in safeguarding the security and sanctity of the holy sites.

I condemn in the strongest possible terms the dastardly and heinous attempted drone attack on the Holy City of Mecca.

This was not merely an attack on Saudi Arabia. It was an attack on the heart of Islam and on the sentiments of Muslims across the world, who revere Makkah as the…

— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) September 16, 2026

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, also in a statement on X, condemned the Houthi attack and said the Muslim world should ensure Saudi Arabia’s security.

Fazlur said an attack on Makkah would be considered “an attack on the entire Muslim world”.

مکہ مکرمہ پر حوثیوں کا حملہ پورے عالم اسلام پر حملہ تصور ہوگا۔مکہ مکرمہ صرف ایک شہر نہیں بلکہ کروڑوں اربوں مسلمانوں کی عقیدتوں کا مرکز ہے۔خاکم بدہن اگر یہ حملہ ہوا تو بدبخت حملہ آور عالم اسلام کے غیض وغضب سے نہیں بچ پائیں گے ۔
امت مسلمہ پوری شدت سے اس حملے کا بھرپور جواب اور…

— Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman (@MoulanaOfficial) September 16, 2026

“Makkah Al-Mukarramah is not merely a city, but the centre of devotion for millions and billions of Muslims,” he said. He added that, God forbid, if such an attack took place, the attackers would not escape the “wrath and anger of the Muslim world”.

The JUI-F leader said the Muslim Ummah would respond to any such attack with full force and ensure the protection of Saudi Arabia.

He called on Muslim countries, particularly Pakistan, to play a leading role in protecting Saudi Arabia and the Masjid al-Haram during what he described as a “delicate and difficult time”.

Fazlur also called on Pakistan to immediately announce a clear policy on the protection of the Haramain Sharifain.

He said the challenges facing the Muslim Ummah had made the need for a strong and effective Islamic bloc more urgent than ever. “The millions of JUI-F workers share the grief and pain of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the attack,” he said.

Fazlur Rehman also said the attack on Saudi Arabia had once again exposed what he called the “double standards” of the United States and the Western world.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi strongly condemned the attack, saying the sanctity and security of the Holy Sites were “sacred and non-negotiable”.

I strongly condemn the reported attack targeting Makkah. The sanctity and security of the Holy Sites are sacred and non-negotiable. Under the Mecca Defence Agreement, we stand united in defending the security and sovereignty of our brotherly nations. Any attempt to threaten…

— Faisal Karim Kundi (@fkkundi) September 16, 2026

“The Muslim world stands united in safeguarding the Holy Sites and upholding peace and stability in the region,” Kundi said in a statement.

He said that under the Makkah Defence Agreement, “we stand united in defending the security and sovereignty of our brotherly nations”.

“Any attempt to threaten Makkah is completely unacceptable,” he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry called the attack a “blatant and highly condemnable violation” of the sanctity of Islam’s holiest land.

مکہ مکرمہ کو نشانہ بنانے کی حوثیوں کی کوشش محض جارحیت نہیں بلکہ اسلام کی مقدس ترین سرزمین کی حرمت کی کھلی اور انتہائی قابلِ مذمت پامالی ہے۔

حرمین شریفین کسی جنگ کا میدان نہیں اور نہ ہی کسی کے سیاسی یا عسکری عزائم کے لیے مقدس مقامات کی حرمت کو نشانہ بنانے کی اجازت دی جا سکتی ہے۔…

— Dr. Tariq Fazal Ch. (@DrTariqFazal) September 16, 2026

“The Haramain Sharifain are not a battlefield, nor can anyone be allowed to target the sanctity of the holy sites for political or military objectives,” Chaudhry said in a post on X.

He said targeting the Haramain Sharifain or attempting to endanger their security was “unjustifiable and unacceptable” and could not be defended under any pretext. Chaudhry condemned the “cowardly, provocative and shameful attempt” in the strongest terms.

He reaffirmed that the security, peace and sanctity of Makkah and Madina were “a sacred and non-negotiable matter” for Muslims around the world. He prayed for the protection of the Haramain Sharifain and the safety of all pilgrims, saying every attempt to harm the peace of the holy land should be thwarted.

Meanwhile, Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, in a post on X, said that the sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain was “deeply respected” by the entire Muslim Ummah.

مکہ مکرمہ جیسی مقدس سرزمین کو ڈرون حملوں کا نشانہ بنانے کی کسی بھی کوشش کی شدید مذمت کرتے ہیں۔ حرمین شریفین کا تقدس پوری امتِ مسلمہ کے لیے انتہائی محترم ہے، اور ان مقدس مقامات کی حرمت کی کوئی بھی خلاف ورزی بین الاقوامی امن اور علاقائی استحکام کے لیے شدید باعثِ تشویش ہے۔ یہ…

— Abdul Aleem Khan (@abdul_aleemkhan) September 16, 2026

Aleem Khan said any violation of the sanctity of the holy sites was a serious concern for international peace and regional stability. He reaffirmed solidarity with the Saudi government and people in protecting the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and the Haramain Sharifain.

Former Supreme Court judge and leading Islamic scholar Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani also condemned attacks, saying they were “extremely serious” and warranted condemnation.

في هذه الظروف الحساسة، فإن استهداف المملكة العربية السعودية بالهجمات أمرٌ بالغ الخطورة ويستوجب الإدانة، وإن إطلاق صفارات الإنذار في مكة المكرمة لأول مرة في التاريخ ليمثّل ناقوس خطرٍ للأمة الإسلامية جمعاء. وفي هذا الظرف، فإن إحجام أمريكا عن مساندة المملكة العربية السعودية يكشف…

— Muhammad Taqi Usmani (Official) (@muftitaqiusmani) September 16, 2026

Mufti Usmani said the sounding of air-raid sirens in Makkah for the first time in history was “a warning bell for the entire Muslim Ummah”. He also criticised the United States for not supporting Saudi Arabia, saying its reluctance “reveals part of its traditionally sinister intentions towards the Muslim Ummah”.

Houthi attacks Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia issued security alerts ​across parts of the country on Tuesday, including in Makkah and other cities, ‌following ⁠a week of attacks by Iran-aligned fighters that have drawn the kingdom deeper into the US-Iran war.

A Houthi military source denied the group posed any threat to Makkah or other holy sites, in comments ​carried by the ​Houthi-run SABA news ⁠agency on Tuesday.

Read More: Houthi drone destroyed near Makkah as Saudi-led coalition warns threats to holy sites are 'red line'

The Houthis have seized control of parts of Yemen's Red Sea coast overlooking the Bab ​el-Mandeb, one of the world's most important shipping straits, ​threatening ⁠Saudi oil exports rerouted from the Strait of Hormuz.

The group has announced several major attacks on Saudi Arabia over the past week, including strikes ⁠on ​an air base on Monday that it ​said were retaliation for air strikes on Yemen.

The latest attacks were not the first time the Houthis had targeted Saudi Arabia. On 23 July, the group said it had struck two Saudi oil tankers in what it described as part of a naval blockade against the kingdom. Saudi Arabia has also shut down its East-West pipeline after ​the vital oil conduit came under aerial attack in the widening Middle East war.

Makkah Defence Pact

The recent Houthi attacks came at a time when Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye had just formalised their longstanding strategic ties through the signing of the “Makkah Joint Defence Agreement”, a trilateral security framework that its proponents describe as a defensive arrangement aimed at strengthening collective deterrence, enhancing military cooperation and promoting regional stability.

The agreement, signed during the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence, has prompted comparisons with military alliances such as NATO. However, according to security analysts, the pact is intended to formalise decades of existing strategic cooperation rather than create a new military bloc or offensive alliance.

With additional information from Reuters