Pakistan condemns drone strike on Saudi Arabia, expresses solidarity with Riyadh

Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed solidarity with the kingdom, a statement from the Foreign Office (FO) said.

In a post on X, Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry reported that three drones were intercepted and destroyed on Monday morning, having originated from Iraqi airspace. The United Arab Emirates condemned the incident earlier today, while Iraq said it is investigating the incident.

In its statement, the FO condemned in the strongest possible terms the drone attacks carried out against Riyadh, noting: “Such attacks constitute a serious violation of the kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and appear to be an attempt to further undermine regional peace and stability.”

It added that the government and the people of Pakistan stand in solidarity with the Saudi government and people, reaffirming their “full and unwavering support for the kingdom’s security, peace and prosperity.”

The incident occurred after strikes on the Barakah nuclear plant in the UAE on Sunday, which were condemned by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, with Emirati Industry Minister Dr Sultan Al-Jaber branding the strike a “terrorist attack”.

In a post on X, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the drone attack on the UAE, urging all parties to “exercise maximum restraint”.

“We stand in full solidarity with the leadership and the brotherly people of the United Arab Emirates,” he said, urging all parties to “exercise maximum restraint and fulfil their obligations under international law”.

“Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path toward lasting regional peace, stability and de-escalation,” he wrote.