Saudi Under Houthi Attack: Pakistan Promised To Defend Riyadh — So Where Are The Jets?

Houthi missiles and drones have hit Saudi Arabia, raising a crucial question about Pakistan’s defence pact with Riyadh and Turkiye. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif says the agreement could become operative if the Yemen conflict spills into Saudi territory. But does “an attack on one is an attack on all” actually mean Pakistani fighter jets will enter the war? The pact is defensive and does not prescribe an automatic military response. Pakistan already provides Saudi Arabia with troops, fighter jets, drones, air-defence systems and training. But Islamabad also has to consider its border with Iran, its past neutrality on the Yemen war and its economic dependence on Saudi support. So is the Mecca pact a paper tiger — or a deterrent both sides would rather keep in the cage?