Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia agreed to rapidly deploy military forces and capabilities to the kingdom, the three countries said on Monday in a joint statement following an emergency meeting in Riyadh under the Mecca defence pact.
The countries decided to immediately begin implementing the joint defence agreement and “take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in the Kingdom,” the statement said. The emergency meeting in Riyadh was held “to address the security developments and threats facing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” The statement provided no details on the number of troops or amount of military equipment to be deployed.
Pakistani forces are already stationed in Saudi Arabia under a long-standing military partnership.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August.
It includes a mutual defence clause similar to NATO’s, under which an attack on one party is considered an attack on all.
Saudi Arabia has recently come under pressure from advances by Yemen’s Houthi militia and attacks on the key East-West oil pipeline, and is seeking support from its allies.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who attended the meeting, told Geo News that Saudi Arabia, which is fighting alongside the Yemeni government against the Houthi militia, had recently made territorial gains in Yemen, according to the Dawn newspaper.
Asked about a possible role for Pakistan and Turkey, Asif said both countries were present in the operational area, but that only Saudi forces were involved in combat.
Turkey and Pakistan currently had a “supportive role,” he said, with Pakistan involved in reconnaissance activities.
