Pakistan calls for resolving Houthi conflict through dialogue — Dawn
Pakistan said that the conflict around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy rather than coercive measures. Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan, speaking at a weekly briefing in Islamabad, called the situation near the strategic strait “extremely serious” and expressed concern over its impact on regional stability and maritime security.
As Dawn reports, Khan stressed that the Houthis must also cease their activities. According to him, Islamabad’s position is to seek peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy rather than joining a broader military confrontation.
According to the publication, hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis have intensified. The Houthis advanced along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and launched missiles and drones at Saudi territory, while Riyadh stepped up airstrikes on their positions.
Defense commitments to Saudi Arabia
The spokesperson confirmed that Pakistan is adhering to its commitments under the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement with Saudi Arabia and the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, to which Turkey is also a party. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the strategic agreement in September 2025; it provides that aggression against one country will be considered aggression against both.
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According to Khan, the agreement with Riyadh is already in force, and some forces have been deployed under it. He declined to disclose details of a possible operational response, citing confidentiality. Pakistan has long cooperated with Saudi Arabia in the military sphere and has previously stationed military personnel and defense assets in the kingdom.
Conditions for dialogue with Afghanistan
Separately, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry representative said that the country is ready to resolve issues with Afghanistan peacefully. At the same time, he stressed the need for verifiable guarantees that Afghan territory will not be used for terrorism against Pakistan.
Khan said that previous mediation efforts by China, Turkey and Qatar had not produced the desired result because of Kabul’s unwillingness to cooperate. He also said that Islamabad does not know the background and specific purpose of a new initiative following visits by Turkish and Qatari security officials to Afghanistan and the arrival in Pakistan of Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.
