‘Attack on Mecca a red line for Pakistan’: Shehbaz Sharif warns Houthis at UN
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Attack on Mecca a red line for Pakistan’: Shehbaz Sharif warns Houthis at UN")
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York on September 25, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
Shehbaz Sharif at the UN said that any further attack on Mecca would be a “red line” for Islamabad as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey prepare urgent military talks over escalating Houthi attacks.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday (Sept 25) has warned that any further attacks on the Islamic holy city of Mecca would be a “red line” for Islamabad. Speaking at the United Nations in New York, Sharif strongly condemned the recent Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and stressed the importance of protecting Mecca.
“We once again condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the recent deplorable attacks by the Houthis against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Sharif said at the UN's gathering of world leaders.
“The attempted drone attack on the holy city of Mecca al-Mukarramah has outraged Muslims across the globe. Any threat to safety and sanctity... is a red line that must never be crossed. No Muslim can even dare to think of committing such a heinous act.”
Sharif also stated that Pakistan acted swiftly to bring the United States and Iran under one roof in Islamabad to help end the Middle East conflict.
Houthi attacks raise tensions
Last week, Riyadh accused the Houthis of targeting Mecca, the holiest site for Muslims around the world, for the first time since 2017 with a drone that was intercepted. The Houthis denied the accusation.
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Saudi Arabia also intercepted Houthi ballistic missiles on Thursday after issuing warnings for several regions, including Mecca.
The missile interceptions came as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have increased since July. The renewed hostilities ended a years-long truce and have drawn Yemen further into the wider Middle East conflict.
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Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey plan talks
The developments come as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey prepare for urgent talks between their military chiefs on ways to support Riyadh under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.
The announcement followed a meeting between Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in New York on Thursday. The three ministers met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
The meeting “addressed ongoing arrangements for an urgent meeting of the Chiefs of Staff of the three countries to discuss ways to support the Kingdom in accordance with the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement,” according to a statement shared by Saudi Arabia's official news agency SPA.
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, 2026, at Al Safa Palace in Mecca. The pact commits the three countries to mutual defence if any one of them is attacked.
The pact establishes a NATO-style mutual defence framework aimed at strengthening joint military deterrence and regional security.
Despite the mutual defence clause, Pakistan and Turkey have so far not responded militarily to the Houthi attacks.
