Pakistan rejects NYT report on PAF jets in Saudi operation against Houthis

Pakistan has rejected a New York Times report claiming that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets took part in an operation launched by Saudi forces against the Houthis.

In a fact-check posted on its official account on Thursday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting described the report as “fake and fabricated” and urged international media organisations to refrain from speculative reporting on the use of Pakistan’s armed forces under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

“Details of any employment, if necessary, will be given by the concerned authorities,” the ministry said.

The clarification comes days after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye agreed to immediately implement their collective defence commitments under the agreement and ensure the “rapid deployment” of agreed military forces and capabilities in the Kingdom.

The trilateral pact, signed in August, provides for collective defence in the event of an external armed attack on any of the three countries.

According to the Foreign Office, the decision was taken at the first-ever meeting of the alliance’s Strategic Political and Defence Committee in Riyadh, attended by the top military and political leadership of the three countries.

The three sides said the deployment would be carried out under approved arrangements and in line with their respective national laws, with the measures aimed at enhancing readiness, military integration and collective capacity.