• ISPR chief says Pakistan can go ‘to any extent’, as Islamabad’s commitment to Saudi security is ‘unconditional’
• Says Iranian, Pakistani leaders remain in constant contact

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will go to “any extent” to defend Saudi Arabia, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said, adding that Islamabad’s commitment to the kingdom’s security is “unconditional”.

He made the remarks in an interview with Arab News, clips of which were posted on its social media account on X on Friday.

The remarks come as fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis has intensified, with the group making gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait and launching missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory, while Riyadh has stepped up air strikes against Houthi positions.

“Pakistan fully stands with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, both diplomatically and physically. And I would like to underscore the word physically,” Lt Gen Chaudhry told Arab News.

“We will go to any extent for the security of Haramain Sharifain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To any extent as asked and required by our Saudi brothers,” he said.

“It should be clear that the people of Pakistan stand shoulder to shoulder with their Saudi brothers and sisters. There should be no doubt about it,” he added.

“So, in a nutshell, we are there and will continue to defend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against any aggression.”

The military spokesperson said Pakistan’s politico-military leadership remained in continuous contact and engagement with the Saudi leadership.

At the same time, he said, Pakistan was “very earnestly and sincerely” working with regional countries and others to find a “negotiated, peaceful outcome of this complex situation”.

“Our commitment to Saudi security is unconditional. It stems from a deep-rooted, historical and unbreakable bond between the people of Pakistan and the people of Saudi Arabia, between the political and the military leadership of both countries,” he said.

According to the write-up of the interview, Lt Gen Chaudhry was also asked about Wednesday’s phone call between Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

“The politico-military leadership of Pakistan remains in continuous communication with the esteemed leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on all these matters,” he was quoted as saying.

Lt Gen Chaudhry said Islamabad was also consulting regional governments to seek “a negotiated and peaceful outcome” to the crisis.

He described the Islamabad memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran in June as “a consensus document which we think provides the only real pathway forward for getting out of this complex military situation”.

Asked whether Pakistan expected to bring Washington and Tehran back to negotiations soon, the military spokesperson gave no timetable, stressing that Islamabad continued to search for common ground despite mistrust, “spoilers” and “detractors”.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in Riyadh last September, pledging that any attack on either country would be treated as an act of aggression against both.

Last month, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye also signed the Makkah Defence Alliance, under which an attack on one member state would be treated as an attack on all.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2026