Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said at the UN Friday that attacks on the holy city of Makkah would be a "red line" for Islamabad. "We once again condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the recent deplorable attacks by the Houthis against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Sharif said at the UN's gathering of world leaders in New York. "The attempted drone attack on the holy city of Makkah al-Mukarramah has outraged Muslims across the globe. Any threat to safety and sanctity... is a red line that must never be crossed. No Muslim can even dare to think of committing such a heinous (act)." He said that the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement—bringing together Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan—is not directed against any nation, but rather aims to bolster peace, security, and stability across the region. Sharif noted that expanding conflicts in the Middle East have disrupted critical maritime shipping lanes and weighed heavily on the global economy, underscoring the vital necessity of keeping the straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab open to international navigation and trade. He highlighted Pakistan's ongoing diplomatic initiatives to ease regional tensions, including fostering dialogue between the United States and Iran, reaffirming Islamabad's dedication to advancing regional de-escalation and peace. On the Palestinian issue, the Prime Minister stressed Pakistan's firm support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 border. He condemned the forced displacement of Palestinians, characterizing it as part of an Israeli genocidal agenda, and reiterated his condemnation of Israeli military aggression in the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Syria.
