Pakistan’s information ministry said the August defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey has been invoked, marking the first deployment of Pakistani troops to the Arabian Peninsula after escalating Houthi attacks.
Last year, constitutional amendments granted Field Marshal Asim Munir command over the army, navy and air force until 2030, cementing his authority over military and foreign policy.
Opposition voices, notably Zulfi Bukhari of Imran Khan’s PTI, condemned the move as a bypass of democratic oversight, insisting the issue should be debated with political acumen.
The ministry confirmed the deployment will proceed without parliamentary ratification, with troops expected to arrive in Riyadh within days, underscoring the military’s growing grip on foreign policy.