Pakistan Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia as ‘Totally Unacceptable’

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday said that Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia were “totally unacceptable”.

He made the remarks while addressing a joint press conference alongside Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, who is currently on an official visit to Pakistan, following the eighth session of the Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC).

At the outset of the press conference, Dar said that the two sides would sign a protocol relating to the commission.

He said that this reflected “a shared resolve to further strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest”. He said that the two sides would also sign an agreement for mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports.

“Pakistan-Oman friendship remains strong and forward-looking,” he told the media. The two ministers would also sign “a number of bilateral agreements” later in the day, Dar said.

He added that the two ministers had also agreed to hold a business-to-business investment forum in Pakistan.

The ministers discussed the situation in the Gulf as well, he said, adding that “Pakistan remained committed to contributing constructively to diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region”.

Dar said that the two sides also exchanged views on recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. He said that he conveyed Pakistan’s condemnation of the attacks.
“I underscored that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are totally unacceptable. My brother [Albusaidi] actually fully endorses this. Violations of international law pose a serious threat to regional peace and security,” he said.

The Houthi movement in Yemen has repeatedly targeted Saudi Arabia and other regional interests during the conflict that escalated in 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen’s civil war against the Iran-aligned group. The attacks have included missile and drone strikes against Saudi territory, including civilian areas and critical infrastructure. The conflict has remained a source of regional instability, with maritime security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden also affected by Houthi attacks on commercial shipping.
Pakistan has traditionally supported Saudi Arabia’s security and territorial integrity while maintaining that regional disputes should be resolved through diplomatic engagement. Islamabad has also sought to avoid becoming directly involved in the Yemen conflict.

Pakistan’s position has been shaped by its longstanding strategic relationship with Riyadh, its interest in regional stability and its preference for political solutions to conflicts in the Middle East.

Dar’s remarks came during the eighth session of the Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission, which also focused on expanding bilateral economic cooperation, investment and diplomatic engagement. Oman has historically played a mediating role in regional disputes, including efforts to facilitate dialogue involving the Houthis and other parties. The two countries’ discussions on Gulf security therefore underscored their shared interest in stability and diplomacy, alongside Pakistan’s explicit condemnation of attacks against Saudi Arabia and civilian infrastructure.