- By Ajeet Kumar
- Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:21 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Shehbaz Sharif called Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman twice.
- Pakistan reaffirmed solidarity after Mecca Defence Pact U-turn.
- Islamabad clarified pact not for non-military Houthi attacks.
New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif dialled Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman twice on Sunday in what is widely seen as a damage-control exercise after Islamabad's abrupt U-turn on its commitment to protect the Kingdom under the Mecca Defence Pact. At 5:31 pm, Sharif posted on X confirming that he had spoken to the Crown Prince in the afternoon. In the call, he "reiterated Pakistan's strongest condemnation of the recent Houthi attacks targeting civilian and economic infrastructure in the Kingdom and conveyed our complete solidarity with the Saudi leadership and our Saudi brothers and sisters.”
Two calls, same script
While praising the Crown Prince's wise and sagacious leadership during challenging times, Sharif also lauded Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, without elaborating on how the two had helped defuse tensions or advance regional peace and stability.
سررت بالحديث مع أخي العزيز صاحب السمو الملكي ولي العهد الأمير محمد بن سلمان في هذا المسآء.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) September 13, 2026
وجددت إدانة باكستان الشديدة للهجمات الحوثية الأخيرة التي استهدفت البنية التحتية المدنية والاقتصادية في المملكة، وأعربت عن تضامننا الكامل مع القيادة السعودية وإخواننا وأخواتنا في المملكة… https://t.co/zpq5OZx73r
Sharif's self praise for Asim Munir
Barely three minutes later, at 5:34 pm, Sharif posted again about the same conversation. The wording remained nearly identical, repeating Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the Houthi attacks and its solidarity with the Saudi leadership.
"I also expressed my utmost appreciation for His Royal Highnes's wise leadership and sound vision, which he demonstrates during these trying times. The Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, and I will continue our efforts to help de-escalate tensions and promote peace and stability in the region," the second post read, mirroring the language of the first.
Why is Pakistan facing criticism?
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey signed a major joint defence agreement on 7 August under which an “attack against one of them will be treated as an attack against all of them,” following escalating tensions in West Asia.It was widely understood that Pakistan and Turkey would activate defence mechanisms following the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia last week. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif, speaking on a live television programme, asserted that the Mecca Defence Pact would become operational if the need arose.
"If there is unprovoked aggression or a spillover of whatever is happening in Yemen into Saudi Arabia, then the Mecca Agreement will definitely become operational," Asif told Geo News anchor Shahzeb Khanzada. "We are bound to provide assistance under the agreement," he added.
However, on Thursday, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry stated, "There were no discussions about a military reaction from Islamabad under the Mecca Agreement in response to the Houthis’ attacks on Saudi Arabia." According to Pakistan, the pact is intended to counter aggression from military establishments. As the Houthis are not a military establishment of Yemen, the pact would not be triggered automatically, unlike NATO's Article 5.