Pakistan has enough wars and enemies to fight at home. It should think very carefully before playing the Makkah Alliance card against Yemen.
We Pakistanis like our nuclear power status, our global reputation and the US dollars sitting in our foreign exchange reserves. But the liabilities that come with regional defense pacts can hurt us in ways that go far beyond the battlefield.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry earlier informed the media that Pakistan Armed Forces are stationed in the Kingdom, working across multiple domains.
What Are Saudis to Pakistan?
Saudi Arabia is a strategic partner, and there is no question that attacks on the Holy sites should be taken seriously. Pakistan has also made its position clear by backing Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security. Readers can discuss what our stance should be.
But there is a huge difference between helping Saudis defend themselves and joining an all-out war in Yemen that reeks of propaganda.
That distinction matters now more than ever. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government has already launched an attack against the Ansar Allah around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after Houthi attacks expanded deep into the Kingdom earlier.
Pakistan and Turkey have been drawn into the game thanks to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which treats an armed attack on one member as an attack on all three.
Cold Head
This is precisely where Islamabad needs a cold head.
Yes, Pakistan has a genuine interest in Saudi Arabia’s stability. Energy security is not some abstract issue. Loans and rollovers are common practice. And Saudi Arabia remains deeply important to global oil flows, while the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb are critical routes for energy and trade.
An encounter with the Houthis or a prolonged regional war can hurt Pakistan through higher oil prices, freight costs and blood-curdling inflation. So nothing can automatically justify sending Pakistan’s impregnable Armed Forces into Yemen.
Pakistan’s Role
Pakistan can protect its interests through defensive deployments, intelligence sharing, air defense, maritime security and logistical support. It can stand firmly with Saudi Arabia without making Yemen another Pakistani battlefield.
We are already fighting Indian terrorism, economic pressure, the Durand Line border tensions and internal security challenges. We do not need to import another war simply because our ally is fighting one.
The Makkah Defence Agreement may prove valuable if it strengthens deterrence. But right now it is easily becoming a liability because every Saudi battlefield is publicly being treated as Pakistan’s battlefield.
Supporting Saudi Arabia is one thing. Fighting Saudi Arabia’s wars is another.
Pakistan should know the difference before the war makes that decision for us.
The views expressed here belong to the author.
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