MoIB says a New York Times report attributing the use of Pakistan Air Force aircraft against Houthis is fake and fabricated.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has rejected a New York Times report claiming that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft were being employed against Yemen’s Houthi forces, describing the report as “fake and fabricated.”

In a fact-check posted on X on Thursday, the ministry said the NYT report’s attribution regarding the employment of PAF aircraft against the Houthis was incorrect. The ministry also urged international media organisations to avoid speculative reporting about the possible employment of Pakistan’s military forces under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

“Details of any employment, if necessary will be given by concerned authorities,” the ministry said, adding that “Truth Prevails over Falsehood.”

The clarification comes amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and growing international attention on the implementation of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in August.

The agreement provides for collective defence cooperation, with an external armed attack on any of the three countries to be considered an attack on all, while Pakistan has described the accord as purely defensive in nature.

On Monday, the three countries agreed to move toward the rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia following an emergency meeting in Riyadh. However, Pakistan has not publicly provided operational details regarding the nature, scale or specific role of any forces that could be deployed under the agreement.

The latest MoIB fact-check follows renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi targets. On Thursday, several explosions were reported in Riyadh, while Saudi authorities said they intercepted ballistic missiles launched toward the capital and other areas. The Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack involving King Khalid International Airport but provided no evidence for their claim.

Pakistan’s latest statement makes clear that any confirmed information concerning the employment of Pakistani military forces will be communicated by the relevant authorities, rather than through speculative media reports.

The ministry’s warning comes as international scrutiny increases over how Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye will implement their collective defence commitments amid the worsening regional security situation.