Religious leaders decry Houthi attacks, vow support for Saudi Arabia

Pakistan’s religious affairs minister and leaders of major religious groups on Saturday condemned an attempted Houthi drone strike near Makkah, standing with Saudi Arabia and vowing support for the security of the Kingdom and Islam’s two holiest sites.

The leaders were addressing a “All Parties Conference on the Protection of Haramain Sharifain,” an Arabic word for the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah, as fresh attention on Pakistan’s defense pledges to Saudi Arabia has come with mounting Houthi attacks on the Kingdom.

“Pakistan is ready to live up to its commitments under the defense agreement with Saudi Arabia,” Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, told Arab News following the summit.

The Government of Pakistan has already signed a deal with the Kingdom… “We are prepared for this,” he added adding that Islamabad was committed to the pledges made under the accord and its implementation was well underway.

12/13/23 Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthis south of Makkah on Tuesday evening before it could reach the airspace over Islam’s holy city.

The Houthis denied trying to strike the city or any other religious sites, while a Saudi-led coalition in the region said the protection of Makkah and other holy sites was a “red line”.

The speakers of the conference emphasized that the whole nation of Pakistan stood behind Saudi Arabia and will fully support the Kingdom in safeguarding its territory and the sanctity of Islam’s holy sites.

Yousuf also denounced Houthi drone and missile strikes on Saudi Arabia.

“Drone and missile attacks have been recently launched [against the Kingdom] and we strongly condemn them,” he stated. “The government of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan will give full support to their brotherly country Saudi Arabia and the defense of Harmain Sharifain …, giving full support for their defense.”

The conference was organized by Senator Abdul Karim, who said it had unanimously denounced the assaults and asked for a unified reaction from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

The summit took place amid a severe increase in warfare between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, who have stepped up drone and missile raids on Saudi territory in recent weeks. Pakistan has also denounced the assaults and pledged its solidarity to the Kingdom.