WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD (MNN); Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has confirmed that Pakistani troops are already stationed in Saudi Arabia, saying they have maintained a presence in the kingdom for decades and operate across multiple capabilities and domains.
Speaking in an interview with CNN correspondent Ivan Watson, Lt Gen Chaudhry said, “I can confirm that the forces of Pakistan are already there (Saudi Arabia).”
Asked whether Pakistani troops were already on the ground as part of the Makkah Defence Alliance between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, the ISPR chief said Pakistan’s military presence in the kingdom predated the alliance.
“Pakistan troops have been there for decades,” he said, adding that the Makkah alliance was built on longstanding diplomatic, political, military and people-to-people relations among the three countries.
He said Pakistani forces were already present in Saudi Arabia in “multiple capabilities and domains.”
The remarks came after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye agreed to move towards the rapid deployment of agreed military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia during an emergency meeting of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement’s Strategic Political and Defence Committee (SPDC) in Riyadh on Monday.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the committee decided to begin the practical implementation of collective defence commitments and take necessary measures to provide and rapidly deploy the agreed military capabilities in Saudi Arabia, in accordance with existing arrangements and the national laws of the three countries.
The move is taking place amid heightened security concerns following attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement on Saudi Arabia.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who attended the Riyadh meeting, separately told Geo News that Saudi forces were currently engaged in combat operations against the Houthis, while Pakistani and Turkish forces were playing supportive roles.
Asked about a possible operational role for Pakistan and Turkiye, Asif said both countries had a “presence in theatre,” but Saudi forces were the ones involved in combat operations.
“Whatever assistance they require is being provided. But right now, the Turkish and Pakistani armies are playing a supportive role,” he said, adding that Pakistan was involved in reconnaissance.
The defence minister had earlier said Pakistan would stand by Saudi Arabia “practically and diplomatically” if the conflict with the Houthis escalated and would fulfil its obligations under the Makkah Defence Alliance according to the terms of the agreement.
The Makkah Defence Pact, signed on August 7, seeks to strengthen collective deterrence and provides for the signatories to regard an attack against one member as an attack against all, subject to the agreement’s terms.
On September 25, the military chiefs of Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia met in Riyadh for urgent consultations under the pact following Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
On September 18, Lt Gen Chaudhry had expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia, saying Pakistan would go to “any extent” to defend the Gulf kingdom and describing Islamabad’s commitment to Saudi security as “unconditional.”
