Pakistan slams drone strikes against Saudi Arabia
Foreign Office says such provocative attacks pose a grave threat to peace and stability across the entire region
Pakistan has condemned drone attacks against Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed Islamabad’s unwavering support for the Kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying such provocative attacks pose a grave threat to regional peace and stability, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.
Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed a number of drones on Monday that attempted to target petroleum facilities in the Eastern Region and Riyadh, according to the Kingdom’s defence ministry.
A ministry spokesman said the shot-down drones were fired by Iran-backed militias in Iraq, adding that Saudi Arabia has the right to defend itself and its capabilities, and reserves the right to respond at an appropriate time and place.
In a statement issued in Islamabad, the Pakistani Foreign Office said that Islamabad strongly condemns the drone attacks against the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“Such provocative attacks pose a grave threat to peace and stability across the entire region,” the Foreign Office said and added “Pakistan stands in solidarity with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and reaffirms its strong and unwavering support for the Kingdom’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peace and prosperity.”
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are also signatories to a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA), which effectively treats an armed attack against one nation as an attack against both and serves as the cornerstone of their strategic relationship.
Last week, Islamabad condemned Houthi attacks against the Kingdom and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif saying that he, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir and the entire Pakistani nation stood “firmly and resolutely with the Saudi leadership and the brotherly people of the Kingdom at this critical time.”
Foreign Office spokesman Tahir Andrabi said at the time that Pakistani officials had also taken up the issue of Houthi attacks with Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who visited Islamabad last week.
“Pakistan has taken, and will continue to take, all possible steps to support efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace, security and stability in the region,” the Foreign Office said on Monday.
Reporter Anwer Abbas