Pakistan Calls Report of PAF Jets Used Against the Houthis Fake
Pakistan's information ministry called a report of PAF aircraft used against the Houthis fake on 8 October 2026. What it said, and what it means for Pakistanis.
Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting says a foreign newspaper report that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft were used against the Houthis is "fake and fabricated". Its Fact Check unit posted the denial on 8 October 2026, and Radio Pakistan carried it the same day.
The ministry also asked international media to "avoid speculative reporting" about the use of Pakistan's armed forces under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement. It said that if forces are employed, "the concerned authorities" will give the details.
We read the denial as Radio Pakistan published it and set it beside the Foreign Office's own statements on Saudi Arabia from the past four weeks. The aim was to separate what Pakistan has said officially from what is being claimed about it.
The information ministry called the PAF report fake on 8 October
On 8 October 2026 the Fact Check of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said a story about PAF aircraft being used against the Houthis was "fake and fabricated". The statement was posted on X and reported by Radio Pakistan. It gave no further detail about the story.
The Houthis are an armed group that controls much of northern Yemen. Saudi Arabia says they have carried out drone attacks on its territory in recent weeks.
The ministry's statement had three parts, as Radio Pakistan reported it:
- The story attributing the use of PAF aircraft against the Houthis is fake and fabricated.
- International media houses are "again" asked to avoid speculative reporting on the employment of Pakistan's military forces under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
- Details of any employment, "if necessary", will be given by the concerned authorities.
The word "again" suggests this is not the first such request. The statement itself did not say when the earlier one was made.
Pakistan has agreed to deploy forces in Saudi Arabia, not to strike Yemen
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye agreed on 5 October to move to rapid deployment of agreed forces "in the Kingdom", the Foreign Office said. That joint statement spoke of defending Saudi territory. It did not mention operations in Yemen or against the Houthis by name.
The decision came at an emergency meeting of the Makkah Alliance's political and defence committee in Riyadh. The rapid deployment agreed in Riyadh is to follow "the approved arrangements and the national legislation of the Parties". The statement did not say how many troops, which units or when.
| Date | Official statement | What it said |
|---|---|---|
| 12 September 2026 | Foreign Office | Condemned drone attacks on a pipeline in Saudi Arabia |
| 2 October 2026 | Foreign Office | Condemned the Houthi attack on a Madinah power station on 29 September |
| 5 October 2026 | Joint statement, Riyadh | Rapid deployment of agreed forces in the Kingdom |
| 8 October 2026 | Information ministry Fact Check | Report of PAF aircraft used against the Houthis is fake |
Official statements say an armed attack on any one of the three countries "shall be regarded as an attack against them all". The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement is explained in full elsewhere, including what it does and does not commit Pakistan to.
Saudi Arabia has faced repeated drone attacks since September
The Foreign Office has condemned two attacks on Saudi Arabia in four weeks. One hit a pipeline in September. The other struck the Taibah power distribution station in Madinah on 29 September, which the Foreign Office blamed on the "Houthi militia". The 5 October statement also condemned the "attempted targeting of Makkah and Madinah".
The Madinah station supplies power to the Prophet's Mosque, the Foreign Office said. In its words, the attack was "a matter of deep concern and anguish for millions of Muslims worldwide". It called for "an immediate and unconditional end" to such attacks.
Saudi authorities said one transformer was taken out of service at the Madinah station, without affecting the wider power network. That Saudi account came from the coalition spokesperson after the Houthi drone attack on the Madinah power station, which Pakistan condemned on 2 October.
The denial matters for Pakistanis living in Saudi Arabia
Hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis work in Saudi Arabia, and Umrah pilgrims from Pakistan travel there all year. A claim that Pakistan is fighting the Houthis directly could raise fears for their safety. The government's position is that the claim is false.
Money tells you how deep the link is. Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia sent home $9.78 billion in the year to June 2026, according to the State Bank of Pakistan's country-wise remittance data. That is more than any other country.
On 9 October we checked the Foreign Office's press release list and the news page of the Pakistan Embassy in Riyadh. We found no travel advisory telling Pakistanis to avoid Saudi Arabia, and no notice about Umrah travel. That can change quickly, so check those two pages before you travel.
If you are travelling for Umrah, book through a licensed operator and keep your visa papers ready. The rules for an Umrah visa from Pakistan have not changed because of these events.
How to check claims about Pakistan's armed forces
Check every claim about Pakistani troops or aircraft abroad against an official source first. The ministry has said the "concerned authorities" will announce any use of forces. In practice that means ISPR, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the information ministry, and Radio Pakistan, which carries their statements.
- Who said it? A claim with no named official source is a claim, not a fact.
- Is it on an official page? Look at the Foreign Office press releases and Radio Pakistan before sharing.
- Is it old? Forwarded posts often recycle pictures and clips from earlier conflicts.
- Does it ask you to act? Messages urging you to pay, leave or call a number are a warning sign.
We will update this report if ISPR or the Foreign Office says anything more about the deployment or the denied report.
Common questions
Did the PAF attack the Houthis?
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting says no. Its Fact Check called a report saying so "fake and fabricated" on 8 October 2026.
Has Pakistan sent troops to Saudi Arabia?
On 5 October Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye agreed to rapidly deploy agreed forces in the Kingdom. No numbers, units or dates have been published.
Who will announce if Pakistani forces are used?
The ministry said "the concerned authorities" will give details if necessary. For the armed forces that usually means ISPR.
Is it safe to go to Saudi Arabia for Umrah?
As of 9 October 2026 we found no Pakistani government advisory against travel to Saudi Arabia. Check the Foreign Office and embassy pages before you fly.
Who are the Houthis?
They are an armed group that controls much of northern Yemen. Pakistan's Foreign Office blamed them for the 29 September attack on a Madinah power station.
What is the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement?
It is a defence pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. Official statements say an attack on any one is regarded as an attack on all three.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 9 October 2026, about 1:30 am PKT. We read the Fact Check denial as published by Radio Pakistan on 8 October, and the Foreign Office's 5 October joint statement and its statements on the pipeline and Madinah attacks. Remittance figures are from the State Bank of Pakistan's country-wise data. We did not read the original post on X.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
