Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned what Saudi authorities described as an attempted drone attack targeting Makkah, saying Pakistan stands with Saudi Arabia in protecting the sanctity of the Two Holy Mosques.
“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the dastardly and heinous attempted drone attack against the Holy Site of Makkah Al-Mukarramah,” Shehbaz said in a post on X.
“The people of Pakistan are saddened and perturbed by this outrageous act,” he added, describing the reported incident as “reprehensible and unforgivable”.
Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed a drone south of Makkah on Tuesday evening before it entered the holy city’s prohibited airspace. The Saudi-led coalition’s spokesperson, Major General Turki Al-Malki, said the incident marked the second reported Houthi attempt to target Makkah, following a ballistic missile launch in 2017.
Shehbaz calls for restraint
Shehbaz praised the Royal Saudi Armed Forces for what he described as their “extraordinary vigilance, courage, and professionalism” in intercepting the drone.
He also called on all parties involved in the wider regional conflict to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation.
“Our region has already suffered far too much from conflict. Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only sustainable path towards peace,” the prime minister said.
Shehbaz said Pakistan stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Saudi Arabia in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the security and sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain.
Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan has strongly condemned what Saudi authorities described as an attempted drone attack near Makkah Al-Mukarramah.
Saudi authorities said a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi group was intercepted south of Makkah on September 15 before it could enter the city’s prohibited airspace. The Houthis have denied the Saudi account.
Abdul Aleem Khan expresses solidarity with Saudi Arabia
In a post on X, Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan said any attempt to target Makkah was unacceptable and stressed the importance of protecting the sanctity of the Two Holy Mosques.
“The sanctity of the Two Holy Mosques is an integral part of every Muslim’s faith and belief,” Khan said, according to his statement.
He said there could be no compromise on the security of Makkah or the safety of pilgrims.
The federal minister expressed Pakistan’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying Islamabad remained committed to the protection of the Two Holy Mosques.
Saudi Arabia says drone was intercepted south of Makkah
According to the Saudi-led coalition, the drone was intercepted at around 6:50pm local time on Tuesday, September 15, south of Makkah. Saudi authorities said it was destroyed before entering the restricted airspace over the holy city.
Al-Malki said the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims was a “red line” and warned that the coalition would take measures to deter further attacks.
The incident came amid a wider escalation involving attacks launched from Yemen and heightened security alerts in parts of Saudi Arabia.
Houthis deny targeting Makkah
Houthi officials have rejected Saudi Arabia’s claim that the drone was targeting Makkah.
Houthi official Hazem al-Assad described the Saudi allegation as false, while other Houthi officials also denied targeting the holy city or Islamic religious sites. The conflicting claims could not be independently verified.
Saudi authorities, however, maintained that the drone was intercepted south of Makkah before it could enter the city’s prohibited airspace.
Security alerts issued in Saudi Arabia
The drone interception followed security alerts issued Tuesday in Makkah, Jeddah and Taif amid a series of attacks affecting Saudi Arabia.
The alerts were later lifted after authorities said the immediate danger had passed. Reuters reported that the warning in Makkah was the first such alert in the holy city since the latest regional conflict began.
The incident has added to concerns over the widening regional conflict and its potential impact on the security of Saudi Arabia and the country’s religious sites.
