Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey activate Mecca pact, Ishaq Dar walkout
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey just activated the Mecca Joint Defence Pact to deal with Houthi missile and drone threats.
The plan is for military forces to be ready for fast deployment inside Saudi Arabia.
But things got awkward when Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar walked out of a press briefing after being asked whether parliamentary approval would be sought before committing Pakistani forces to kinetic operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Parliamentary approval demanded for troop deployments
After an emergency meeting in Riyadh, the alliance quickly moved into action as Saudi-backed forces launched wide-scale offensives along Yemen's Red Sea coast.
Pakistan says it stands by Saudi Arabia, but sending troops abroad usually needs a green light from Parliament: something legal experts and opposition leaders are now demanding.
Critics say the government should be more open about its military plans so there's no confusion about what Pakistani forces are actually being asked to do.