Pakistan on Sunday condemned the Houthi attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, an assault Saudi authorities say killed at least 12 people and wounded 309 others. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Foreign Office both issued strong statements on the day, reaffirming Islamabad’s firm and unshakeable commitment to Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and stability under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
What Pakistan said
The prime minister called the strike a heinous attack, sent condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the injured to recover swiftly and fully. He called attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure completely unacceptable and a serious threat to regional peace and stability, calling such violence a flagrant violation of international law that must cease immediately. Citing the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement and the longstanding bonds of brotherhood between the two countries, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to the kingdom’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security.
The Foreign Office, in a separate statement posted on X, called the targeting of a civilian airport a heinous act of terrorism, a flagrant violation of international law and a grave threat to regional peace and security. It expressed concern over the casualties, extended condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery. It said the continued Houthi targeting of civilians and critical infrastructure was utterly unacceptable and must be condemned unequivocally by the international community, adding that such brazen acts of aggression could not be justified and must stop at once.
The Foreign Office said Pakistan stood in unwavering solidarity with the Saudi leadership and people. It reiterated Pakistan’s firm and unshakeable commitment to Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and stability under the Makkah agreement and the recent decisions of its Strategic, Political and Defence Committee. It also backed Saudi Arabia’s legitimate right to defend its territory, people, cities and vital infrastructure, and urged the Houthis to cease their activities. Islamabad, it said, would continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Riyadh.
The attack on Riyadh airport
The assault hit King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, killing at least 12 and wounding 309, according to Saudi authorities. The dead included four Saudis, two Bangladeshis and one person each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt, according to the Saudi civil aviation authority. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen blamed the Houthis for the strike and described it as a full-fledged war crime, with a diplomatic source attributing the attack to a missile. The Houthis, who have struck the airport repeatedly, had earlier claimed a series of strikes on Thursday that killed three people and damaged a plane, though they announced no new attacks on Saturday.
The Makkah defence pact
The condemnation was framed directly around the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed on August 7 by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, which strengthens collective deterrence and treats an attack against one signatory as an attack against all. Islamabad deepened the same regional security architecture this week by signing Pakistan’s new anti-terror cooperation pact with Turkiye, which provides for coordination against terrorism and organised crime.
On October 5, the three held an emergency meeting of the pact in Riyadh and agreed on the rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia, announced on October 6. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif later confirmed Pakistan and Turkiye had been supporting Saudi Arabia in its operations against the Houthis in Yemen. Speaking to Geo News, Asif said Pakistan and Turkiye had a presence in the theatre but only Saudi troops were involved in combat operations, and Pakistan would stand by Saudi Arabia practically and diplomatically if the situation escalated. He maintained the alliance was defensive and built for collective deterrence. In September, the military spokesman had gone further, saying Pakistan would go to any extent to defend Saudi Arabia and calling the commitment unconditional.
A pattern of strikes
The airport attack fits a pattern. The Houthis have repeatedly hit Saudi airports, oil facilities and tankers since a truce in their long-running war with Yemen’s coalition government unravelled in July, and Pakistan has voiced solidarity with Riyadh after each strike. Islamabad’s own position against militant violence has also been consistent at home, most recently in the North Waziristan counter-terror operation that killed nine terrorists.
What to watch
The Foreign Office called on the international community to take a firm and unequivocal stand against attacks that endanger innocent lives and undermine regional stability. Attention now turns to how the October 5 rapid deployment decision is carried out under approved arrangements and national laws, and to any formal Saudi coalition response to Saturday’s attack. For Pakistan’s latest foreign policy and security developments, see Pakistan’s latest national news coverage.
