Pakistan Air Force and the Mecca Pact: What the Conflicting Reports Say About Houthi Strikes

Background: The Mecca Defence Alliance

On 7 August 2026 Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement (often called the Mecca Pact). The pact treats an armed attack on any member as an attack on all three, creating a collective‑security framework similar to NATO. An emergency meeting in Riyadh on 6 October 2026 moved the agreement toward “practical implementation” and agreed on rapid deployment of military forces to the kingdom (Dawn).

The New York Times Allegation

On 7 October 2026 the New York Times quoted an unnamed senior Pakistani military official saying that Pakistan Air Force fighter jets were being employed in attacks against Yemen’s Houthi rebels (Ynetnews). The report added that experts estimate roughly 8,000 Pakistani troops are already stationed in Saudi Arabia, mainly for air‑defence and protection of critical oil infrastructure.

Pakistan’s Official Denial

Hours later, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information dismissed the NYT story as “fake and fabricated” and urged international media to avoid speculative reporting on the employment of Pakistani forces under the Mecca Pact (Dawn). Defence Minister Khawaja Asif clarified that while Pakistan and Turkey have a “presence in theatre”, only Saudi troops are conducting combat operations inside Yemen.

Troop Presence and Strategic Balancing

DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed to CNN that Pakistani forces have been in Saudi Arabia “for decades” across multiple domains, though numbers and roles remain classified (India Today). US analyst Col David O Smith estimates the current deployment at about 8,000 personnel, including PAF and Army Air Defence elements, aimed at shielding Saudi oil assets rather than offensive ground combat.

What Remains Unverified

Independent verification of air strikes inside Yemen is extremely difficult; journalists have limited access and both sides claim conflicting battlefield gains. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed the alliance is “primarily a defensive alliance” and that Turkey will not send forces to attack another country (Ynetnews). Until Pakistan’s military issues an official statement on the specific use of jets in Yemen, the situation stays a matter of competing claims.