Pakistan rejects New York Times report on PAF strikes against Houthis
By The South Asia Times
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Thursday rejected a New York Times report claiming that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets were being used in strikes against Yemen’s Houthis, describing the report as “fake and fabricated.”
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued the denial after a New York Times report published on Oct. 7 attributed the claim to an unnamed senior Pakistani military official who reportedly said PAF aircraft were being employed against the Iran-aligned Houthi group.
“NYT above referred story attributing employment of PAF aircraft against Houthis is fake and fabricated,” the ministry said in a statement.
It urged international media organizations to avoid what it called speculative reporting concerning the possible employment of Pakistan’s armed forces under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
“Details of any employment, if necessary, will be given by concerned authorities,” the ministry said, adding the slogan: “Truth Prevails over Falsehood.”
The New York Times report came amid heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis and days after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye agreed to move toward the practical implementation of their collective-defense commitments.
The three countries held an emergency meeting of the Makkah alliance in Riyadh on Oct. 5 and agreed to provide military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry.
Pakistan has consistently described the Makkah agreement as defensive in nature, saying it is intended to strengthen collective deterrence and respond to external aggression rather than target any particular country.
The dispute over the NYT report comes as Saudi Arabia faces intensified Houthi attacks, including strikes targeting Saudi infrastructure and airports. Pakistan has publicly expressed support for Saudi Arabia’s security while maintaining that the Makkah alliance is defensive.
