Pakistan has confirmed the deployment of additional troops to Saudi Arabia under the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) signed last year. The announcement was made by Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan during a weekly briefing on Friday, October 9, 2026. The deployment follows an emergency meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee (SPDC) of the Makkah alliance in Riyadh on October 5.
The mobilization is part of a broader collective defense commitment between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye. Under the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement concluded in August, an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all three. The move comes as Saudi Arabia faces intensified missile and drone attacks from Houthi forces in Yemen, which have recently targeted airports in Riyadh and Abha.
Islamabad clarified that the deployed forces will serve in a supportive capacity, focusing on the defense of the Kingdom rather than engaging in direct combat operations inside Yemen. The three countries are expected to coordinate further mobilizations based on evolving security requirements in the region.
Source: Arab News PK