LAHORE: Leaders of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) have voiced serious concern over continued attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. They said the protection of the Haramain, the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah, is a matter of faith for Muslims.
In a joint statement released in Lahore, the party’s leadership called on Pakistan and other Muslim countries to play a united role in protecting the security of Saudi Arabia and the Haramain.
The situation, they said, has caused serious concern among Muslims.
The leaders said protecting the two holy mosques was not simply a political or regional matter but one of faith. They argued that the security of the Haramain was closely linked to peace in the wider world.
They also said that continued silence over attacks on Saudi Arabia was no longer acceptable.
The PMML leaders alleged that anti-Islam forces were using Yemen as a base for plans that could threaten the safety of the Haramain. They described the Houthi rebels and their alleged supporters as a threat to the unity and security of the Muslim world.
The statement did not identify which forces it was referring to, or cite any specific incident involving the holy sites.
The party urged the Pakistan government to go beyond expressing concern over the attacks and announce a clear policy response. It called for all possible diplomatic and political support for Saudi Arabia.
Recalling Riyadh’s support during difficult times, the leaders said Saudi Arabia had stood by Pakistan whenever the country faced a crisis. Pakistan, they said, should now stand with its brotherly country as it faces security challenges.
They also said Muslim countries should work together to protect regional stability and the sanctity of the Haramain.
The statement was issued by PMML President Khalid Masood Sindhu, Secretary General Saifullah Qasuri, Vice Presidents Hafiz Talha Saeed and Hafiz Abdul Rauf, Joint Secretary Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, spokesman Dr. Muzamil Iqbal Hashmi, Khidmat-i-Khalq Chairman Chaudhry Shafiq-ur-Rehman Waraich Gujjar, Muslim Youth League President Tabish Qayyum and others.
The statement comes amid a sharp escalation in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis. International media reported that a wave of Houthi attacks on southern Saudi Arabia on September 8 wounded more than 70 people and caused fires at several oil facilities and utilities. Cities including Abha, Jazan, Najran and Khamis Mushait were hit.
According to those reports, the fighting had flared again in July, breaking a truce in Yemen’s civil war that had largely held for about four years. The Houthis have also targeted Saudi oil facilities and tankers in the Red Sea. The reported attacks have struck southern cities and energy infrastructure; they have not been reported to involve the holy sites in Makkah or Madinah.
Pakistan has already spoken out on Houthi violence. In August, the Foreign Office condemned a Houthi attack in the Red Sea that killed three Pakistani nationals.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have deep defence and economic ties. In September 2025, the two countries signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement. More recently, Ishaq Dar described the Makkah defence pact as purely defensive and open to other regional states.
The PMML has pressed this before, having earlier urged more Muslim states to join the Makkah defence pact.
The views expressed in the statement are those of the PMML leadership.
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