Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned the attempted drone attack on the holy city of Makkah and declared that Pakistan stands shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia. In a post on X, he called the incident a dastardly and heinous act against the sacred site of Makkah Al-Mukarramah.
Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Makkah on Tuesday evening before it could enter the restricted airspace. Officials from the Saudi-led coalition confirmed this was the second such attempt by the Houthis to target the holy city. The Houthi side has denied aiming at Makkah.
PM Shehbaz praised the extraordinary vigilance, courage and professionalism of the Royal Saudi Armed Forces for their swift response. He urged all parties to show maximum restraint and step back from any further escalation. He stressed that the region has already suffered enough from conflict and that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only sustainable path to peace.
Pakistan, he said, stands unwaveringly with Riyadh in defending its sovereignty, territorial integrity and the security of the two holy mosques. A day earlier, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, also condemned all Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia during a Security Council meeting on Yemen. He recalled that PM Shehbaz had spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and underlined the serious threat such attacks pose to regional peace, the global economy and energy security.
Ambassador Ahmad warned that the expansion of Houthi actions around Bab al-Mandab endangers freedom of navigation and international maritime trade. He said the relative calm in Yemen since 2022 has collapsed and any further escalation risks drawing the country into a wider regional confrontation. Pakistan continues to support a Yemeni-led political process under United Nations auspices.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also described the attempted attack as a provocative act that violated Saudi sovereignty and deeply offended the religious sentiments of Muslims worldwide. He reaffirmed that Pakistan stands firmly with the leadership and people of Saudi Arabia in protecting the sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain and the safety of pilgrims.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Attorney General for Pakistan for legal help on whether the Federal Constitutional Court has the power to summon records and fix Imran Khan’s hospital transfer case for hearing. A three-member bench led by Justice Shahid Waheed, along with Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, was hearing petitions about the PTI founder’s medical treatment and family meetings.
Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan appeared and read the FCC order that called for records related to Imran’s transfer to Shifa International Hospital. The constitutional court had sought those papers while dealing with appeals from three Adiala jail inmates who wanted the same private hospital facilities given to the former premier. It also asked high courts for similar records.
Awan told the bench that the Constitution allows the FCC to summon records in cases involving constitutional questions. Justice Waheed, however, focused on the exact wording of the order that said the court would “fix cases” for hearing. He said that phrase was bothering the judges and asked how the FCC could take up the matters itself. The judge stressed that the Supreme Court and the constitutional court have clearly defined roles and that mutual respect must be maintained.
The bench also questioned whether the remaining parts of its August 18 order were being followed. On that day the court had directed Adiala jail authorities to move Imran Khan to Shifa Hospital for proper medical assessment. Instead, the government took him to Pims, citing security reasons. Justice Waheed noted that no government officials appeared despite earlier directions and asked if the former premier had been allowed to meet his family and speak to his children.
Awan requested three weeks to prepare detailed assistance on the jurisdiction questions. The court accepted the request and adjourned the hearing. Lawyers for Imran Khan argued that no constitutional interpretation was needed and that the August 18 order was still not fully implemented. The case will come up again after the Attorney General submits his views.
