Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that Pakistani troops are in Saudi Arabia, adding that they had been in the kingdom “for decades” and across multiple domains.
The military spokesperson made these remarks during an interview with CNN correspondent Ivan Watson, who posted a small clip on his X account.
“I can confirm that the forces of Pakistan are already there (Saudi Arabia),” Lt Gen Chaudhry said.
Watson then sought a confirmation that Pakistani troops were already on the ground in Saudi Arabia as part of the Makkah Defence Alliance between Pakistan, the kingdom and Turkiye.
To that, the military spokesperson replied, “Pakistan troops have been there for decades […] The Makkah alliance is not something that has come out in a vacuum. So there is a sustained diplomatic, political, military and people-to-people relationship between Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia. So, I can share with you that Pakistani forces, in multiple capabilities and domains, are already there.”
Lt Gen Chaudhry’s remarks come after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye agreed to the deployment of military forces and capabilities rapidly in the kingdom during an emergency meeting of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Riyadh on Monday.
The three countries had held an emergency meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee (SPDC) of the Makkah Defence Alliance to address the security developments and threats facing Saudi Arabia.
“The committee decided to move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defence commitments and to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in the kingdom, in accordance with the approved arrangements and the national legislation of the parties, thereby enhancing readiness, military integration, and the collective capacity to confront and counter threats,” a statement issued by the Foreign Office after the meeting said.
While the statement did not specifically name any threat, the development comes against the backdrop of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia in the Yemen conflict.
Separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who was part of Pakistan’s delegation in the meeting, joined Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’ via telephone the same day and said Saudi Arabia had made “gains and recovered some areas” in Yemen in the ongoing fighting with the Houthis.
When asked about a possible operational role by Pakistan and Turkiye, the defence minister replied that both nations had a “presence in theatre”, but only Saudi troops were involved in combat operations.
“Whatever assistance they require is being provided. But right now, the Turkish and Pakistani armies are playing a supportive role,” he said, noting that Pakistan was involved in reconnaissance.
Asif had earlier also reaffirmed that Pakistan would “practically and diplomatically” stand by Saudi Arabia against Yemen’s Houthi rebels if the situation escalated. The defence minister had said that Pakistan would fulfil all its obligations under the Makkah Defence Alliance in accordance with the terms of the agreement between the three countries.
The Makkah defence pact, signed on Aug 7, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empower its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them.
On Sept 25, the military chiefs of alliance members Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia met in Riyadh for urgently convened talks under the pact in light of the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
On Sept 18, Lt Gen Chaudhry had expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia, saying Pakistan will go to “any extent” to defend the Gulf state, adding that Islamabad’s commitment to the kingdom’s security is “unconditional”.
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