Col (r) Ikram Ullah Khan
The recent Hothis’ missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia targeting its military and energy installations has triggered an intense debate on whether or not the attack would activate the Makka Joint Defence Agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan in Makka in August this year.
As per the tripartite defence pact, an attack on any one country signatory to the pact would be considered an attack on all the three countries. Going by this statement, it’s imperative on Pakistan and Turkey to jump into the fray to defend Saudi Arabia, but so far there has been a muted response from either of them.
Heretofore, Hothis were fighting a war against Israel, but now, they have turned their guns towards Saudi Arabia, thus making Israel sit on cloud nine. Pakistan and Turkey have strongly condemned the Hothis’ unprovoked attack on Saudi Arabia. Going a step ahead, Pakistan has warned Iran to rein in Hothis – its avowed proxy. Pakistan’s response, in the given situation seems to be a measured one, as any impetuous action on its part would widen the theatre of war in the Middle East, thus putting the peace and stability of the region in jeopardy.
According to defence analysts, Pakistan is trying to deescalate the conflict through diplomatic means, particularly exerting pressure on Iran to stop Hothis from further attacks on Saudi Arabia which could exacerbate the already explosive security situation in the Middle East, thereby serving the Zionist purposes. Defence analysts are of the view that any further attacks by Hothis on Saudi Arabia may impel Pakistan and Turkey to come to Saudi Arabia’s aid and use kinetic force against Hothis if need be. But so far, Pakistan has tried to refrain from being sucked into the conflict given its far-reaching economic, political, strategic and security implications for the entire region.
The Western media reports suggest that the Hothis launched an attack on the Holy city of Makka housing the Holy Ka’ba which being the epicentre of faith for the Muslims the world over, has stirred their emotions. However, the Hothis’s spokesperson has contradicted the report by saying that no such attack was launched and that their attack remained limited to military and energy installations only and that they had no intentions of targeting the Holy Sites like the Holy Ka’ba. My personal view is that no Muslim with even an iota of faith in him would even think of attacking the Holy Ka’ba.
Pakistan’s current policy of non-involvement vis-a-vis the Saudi-Hothis conflict sounds prudent and well calculated as becoming a party to the conflict would mean indirectly entering into an armed conflict with Iran which the US, Israel and India would love to see that happen as it has been their long-cherished desire. Seeing Hothis and Saudi Arabia pitted against each other, the despisers of Islam might be laughing up their sleeves and rejoicing.
Pakistan believes that jumping into the conflict headlong would be tantamount to helping the anti-Muslim forces achieve their objectives without fighting a war.
Pakistan believes that becoming a party to the conflict is neither in the interest of Saudi Arabia nor the region as a whole. It strongly believes that escalating the conflict into a higher theatre of war wouldn’t be a wise decision as it could turn it into a wider conflict which would only serve the purposes of the Zionist lobby toiling against Islam day in and day out.
As Pakistan views the situation through the prism of regional stability, any attempt to escalate the conflict by assuming any offensive posture would complicate the already volatile security situation. There is a need to take measures which could calm down the situation and not add fuel to the fire. As for the Makka Joint Defence Pact, it believes in regional peace, stability and security and has a vision of non-aggression, non-interference and collective deterrence, nothing beyond that.