After days of signals that Islamabad might deploy forces alongside Riyadh and Yemeni government troops against the Houthis, Pakistan's foreign minister shuts the door—marking an early failure for the Mecca Accord.
Pakistan has announced it will not join Saudi Arabia's renewed military campaign in Yemen, reversing days of signals from Islamabad that suggested the country was seriously considering deploying forces alongside Riyadh and Yemeni government troops against Houthi rebels.
The abrupt about-face comes as the pace of the Saudi-backed offensive has slowed and Houthi forces have scored their first significant gains, capturing the strategic Red Sea port city of al-Mokha in the south. Just yesterday, Pakistan's defense minister indicated that senior government discussions were underway about the possibility of providing offensive support to the Saudi campaign in Yemen following Houthi attacks on Saudi territory.
For a moment, it appeared the Mecca Accord (a kind of Middle Eastern NATO bringing together Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey) was finally taking concrete form. But the enthusiasm evaporated as quickly as it emerged. Pakistan's foreign minister has now delivered a statement that directly contradicts his defense counterpart's remarks from a day earlier.
"There is currently no discussion on the matter, and there are currently no intentions to take part in the fighting," the foreign minister declared categorically. (Read More)
