'Political engagement with Houthis': Pak reveals agenda of emergency Mecca pact meet

Houthi attacks top the agenda as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey prepare for an emergency Mecca pact meet (File photo) Pakistan on Friday said an emergency meeting of the strategic political defence committee under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement will be held in Riyadh next week, with the agenda set to include Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia and political engagement with the Iran-backed group.Pakistan foreign minister Ishaq Dar said the meeting would discuss pursuing political engagement with the Houthis instead of kinetic action, news agency Reuters reported.The meeting will bring together officials under the defence pact signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in August.Dar also said that over 6 countries were keen to join the pact. He added that countries seeking to join the agreement would have to wait until the pact becomes fully operational, a process that could take up to a year. “It won't be possible to entertain new requests to join until the pact is fully operational,” he said.Mecca pact faces 1st major testThe emergency meeting comes after a fresh wave of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, putting the newly signed defence arrangement under an early test.Saudi Arabia,...