Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned an attempted drone attack near the holy city of Mecca, expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia and praising its armed forces for intercepting the threat.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Sharif called the attempted attack on Makkah Al-Mukarramah “dastardly and heinous” and said the incident had deeply disturbed people across Pakistan.
ALSO READ: Saudi Arabia Warns Of 'Red Line' Over Holy Sites After Intercepting Houthi Drone Near Mecca
Sharif praised the Royal Saudi Armed Forces for their swift and professional response, while calling for restraint as tensions continue to rise in the region. He also urged all sides to turn to dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the wider conflict.
He further reaffirmed Pakistan's support for Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and its commitment to protecting the security and sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain, referring to Mecca and Medina.
Sharif's post did not name the Houthis, despite Saudi authorities attributing the intercepted drone to the Iran-backed group.
The Houthis have denied targeting Mecca or any Islamic holy sites.
Even though Sharif did not mention the Houthis in his post, Pakistan has separately and explicitly condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, told an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Yemen that Pakistan condemned "all Houthi attacks" against Saudi Arabia.
Ahmad said that Pakistan supported Saudi Arabia's right, under the UN Charter and International Law, to take necessary measures to defend its territory, citizens and national assets against threats. He also called for de-escalation, dialogue and a comprehensive political settlement to the Yemen conflict.
Sharif's condemnation came after Saudi Arabia stated that its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed a Houthi-launched drone south of Mecca on Tuesday. The drone was destroyed before it entered the prohibited airspace over the holy city, according to Brigadier General Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen.
ALSO READ: India Flags Threat To Bab-el-Mandeb Navigation After Houthi Strikes On Saudi Arabia
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.