Houthi attacks force Saudi Arabia to postpone 'Davos in the Desert': where Pakistan's Makkah pact stands

The war in Yemen has reached Saudi Arabia’s showcase events, and Pakistan is closer to it than ever.

The postponement

Saudi Arabia has postponed the Future Investment Initiative (FII), its flagship investment forum often called “Davos in the Desert”, to next year, German news agency DPA reported on October 20. The event, which drew more than 8,000 participants last year, was due to open in Riyadh in less than a week. No new date has been given.

The reason is the escalating conflict with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, who have stepped up strikes on the kingdom, including on Riyadh airport, killing several people and injuring many others. Airport operations are slowly resuming, but many airlines are still avoiding Riyadh.

The FII isn’t the only casualty. An EU-GCC summit, the Misk Global Forum, several sporting events and the Red Sea Film Festival have also been cancelled or postponed.

Pakistan’s role: the Makkah pact

On August 7, 2026, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, under which an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all. Pakistan holds the first three-year term heading its secretariat.

Since the Houthi attacks escalated, it has moved from paper to practice:

• On October 5, the three countries held an emergency meeting in Riyadh and agreed to rapidly deploy military forces and capabilities to the kingdom, Dawn reported.
• Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan and Türkiye have a “presence in theatre”, but only Saudi troops are in combat. He also said nothing in the pact stops members from becoming “directly involved” if one is threatened.
• The military spokesman, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said Pakistani troops have been in Saudi Arabia “for decades”, and earlier said Pakistan would go to “any extent” to defend the kingdom.
• On October 19, Field Marshal Asim Munir and the new Saudi ambassador, Dr Rajeh Tami Albugamy, expressed satisfaction with progress under the pact.

What Pakistan denies

The information ministry called a New York Times report that Pakistan Air Force jets were being used against the Houthis “fake and fabricated”, and described a Reuters report of 30,000 to 40,000 Pakistani troops being sent to Saudi Arabia as “speculative”.

Why it matters at home

Millions of Pakistanis live and work in Saudi Arabia, and their remittances are a lifeline for many families. Their safety, flights home and jobs all depend on how this conflict develops. Pakistan’s leaders say the pact is purely defensive. The real test is whether Pakistan can stand by Saudi Arabia without being pulled into the fighting in Yemen.