The Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh will host an emergency meeting of the Political and Strategic Defense Committee next week to address recent Houthi attacks on the Kingdom. Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar announced the session on Friday, confirming that the meeting will take place under the terms of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey.
Emergency Riyadh Summit Targets Houthi Strikes
The upcoming Riyadh summit follows a series of recent Houthi strikes against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on the capital and the city of Medina. One such strike on Medina occurred Tuesday and was termed a “terrorist attack” by the legitimacy support coalition. According to reports from CNN, the meeting will involve high-ranking government officials, including foreign and defense ministers, as well as military commanders from the three signatory nations. These leaders intend to review the current field situation and assess the security challenges facing the Kingdom. Dar stated that the officials will review recent developments, specifically those involving Saudi Arabia, and asserted, “We are committed to defending Saudi Arabia.”
The meeting is the second of its kind for the committee, following an initial session held in Ankara. During that inaugural gathering, the member states committed to strengthening their defense capabilities and fostering cooperation in military technology and production. At that time, foreign ministers condemned “sinful attacks” targeting civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia and Makkah, while affirming the Kingdom’s right to defend its security under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
Weighing Political Engagement Against Military Action
While the defense pact mirrors the structure of NATO—stipulating that an attack on one member is an attack on all—the committee is currently weighing a potential shift in strategy. Minister Dar stated that the upcoming discussions will include a proposal for political engagement with the Houthi group in Yemen as an alternative to further military action.
The proposal, which originated from an Iranian suggestion for a political approach to the crisis, does not yet exist as a formal written document. Officials emphasize that the concept remains in the consultation phase between the involved foreign ministries.
The Genesis of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement
The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, signed on August 7, serves as a formal security framework for Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey. The pact pledges that any armed attack on one member nation will be treated as an attack on all three, a commitment that has been reinforced by military leaders from all sides following recent regional escalations. Dar noted that the foreign ministers of the three countries had “agreed in principle” to hold the upcoming session following a preliminary meeting in New York on September 24 during the UN General Assembly.
Testing Collective Security Amid Regional Pressures
The decision to convene an emergency committee meeting highlights the pressure currently placed on the Makkah agreement.
Minister Delays New Defense Pact Applications for One Year
Minister Dar noted that more than six nations have expressed interest in joining the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement. However, he clarified that the committee will not review new membership applications until the existing pact is fully activated, a process estimated to take approximately one year.
Public support for the agreement remains visible, with thousands of demonstrators in Sargodha, Pakistan, recently participating in a mass rally.
Keep reading