'Political engagement with Houthis': Pak reveals agenda of emergency Mecca pact meet
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are convening an emergency meeting to address Houthi attacks and discuss potential political engagement. This marks the first major test of their recently signed Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.
Why it matters
Highlights shifting regional security alliances and the attempt to use diplomatic engagement to manage conflict in the Middle East.
Pakistan on Friday said an emergency meeting of the strategic political defence committee under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement will be held in Riyadh next week, with the agenda set to include Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia and political engagement with the Iran-backed group.Pakistan foreign minister Ishaq Dar said the meeting would discuss pursuing political engagement with the Houthis instead of kinetic action, news agency Reuters reported.The meeting will bring together officials under the defence pact signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in August.Dar also said that over 6 countries were keen to join the pact. He added that countries seeking to join the agreement would have to wait until the pact becomes fully operational, a process that could take up to a year.
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