Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that even without the Makkah Agreement, protecting the holy sites is Pakistan’s duty, and he believes the situation has now arisen where the agreement should be enforced.
Khawaja Asif said that if Makkah was attacked, no agreement would be needed to protect it.
He said the Makkah Agreement applied to Pakistan and the country would fulfil its duty. He added that he could not discuss the details but Pakistan was bound to implement the agreement.
Khawaja Asif said he did not think Iran, as a state, would open a new front in the region. He added that Pakistan had conveyed Saudi Arabia’s message to Iran.
He reiterated that protecting the holy sites was Pakistan’s responsibility even without the Makkah Agreement, and said the current situation appeared to require its enforcement.
The Saudi-led military coalition has claimed that its air-defence system intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone attempting to enter Makkah’s airspace. The coalition said the drone was stopped before entering the restricted airspace around Makkah.
The coalition said the protection of the two holy mosques was a red line and that necessary action would be taken against the Houthis.
Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said this was the Houthis’ second attempt to target Makkah. A ballistic missile had also been fired towards Makkah in July 2017.
On Tuesday night, sirens were activated in Jazan, Abha and Khamis Mushait over possible attack threats, but the warning was withdrawn shortly afterwards.
On Monday, multiple ballistic-missile and drone attacks by Houthi forces on Saudi Arabia injured 13 civilians.
